Paired off
by gwnmonkey
Summary: Bella was raised by Esme and Alice. Edward and the rest of the Cullens are a travelling band. Alice has a vision of them meeting. When they do, Edward has to learn to live with Bella, and her blood. My friend Dani wrote this. Don't own songs. :D RR please
1. Chapter 1

Author's note: Thanks to all of you who have read and reviewed

AN: This is a story about a different meeting with the Cullens. Bella was raised with Esme and Alice but Alice has a vision that they meet the Cullens (Edward, Carlisle, Jasper, Rosalie and Emmett). Edward still loves Bella's scent and Bella always feels like a burden to the rest of the family. I couldn't fit all of this on the short summary but I hope it captures your attention. This story was written by my very good friend Danielle. Her computer doesn't allow her to post stories so as a favour to her, I've been posting some of her stories. We both really would appreciate some reviews and opinions. Please feel free to look at my other stories as well. Some are also Danielle's and others were written by me. But please enjoy the story and please review. Thanks :)

BPOV

When I opened my eyes, Alice was there, and it was five in the morning. She was sorting through my wardrobe, again. I was not in the mood for shopping that early in the morning. I rolled over, mumbling something like 'stupid vampire'. Alice pretended to ignore me and continued sorting, although loudly now that she knew I was slightly awake.

"Esme!" I complained. She instantly came to my aid.

"Alice! Bella does actually need more than six hours of sleep you know. Now either quiet down or leave her alone." Alice mumbled something in response but I barely caught it. I was fast asleep again. The next time I opened my eyes, the clock on my ceiling said it was nine o'clock. I loved Alice for that idea; I didn't have to get up or make a conscious effort to check the time, I just had to focus on the clock directly above me. It wasn't hard, the hands were brightly coloured and they stood out against the black background of the clock. As I got up I saw a post-it on the door. That meant that both of them were somewhere or another. Esme was probably at work and Alice was either hunting or shopping. I was willing to bet on the last one.

I stumbled out of my bedroom, sliding into the shower to try to wake up. The cool water did wake me up and soon after, I was downstairs eating breakfast. I was only wrapped in a towel when they walked in. I was also reading, and eating, so not paying much attention to them. Alice squealed and immediately pulled me up, ripping off my towel and holding up various items of clothing to my bare body. I was too tired to protest, and too used to her behaviour to do anything but wait until she was finished. Alice had been dressing me since I was five, when she found me. We lived in areas with no neighbours, so despite the large wall of windows, I was not in fear of being seen naked in the kitchen.

Colours and fabrics were pressed up against my body at such speeds that it seemed like a blur. That was the great thing about Alice being a vampire; she didn't have the patience to let me try any of the stuff on, so she would literally go through hundreds of items in minutes, until she found the one she wanted. It took two minutes, but I was handed a black tank top with a see through black jacket to go over it. She passed me dark jeans that had the faintest hints of sparkle in them, and eventually black silk ballerina slippers. They had learned to keep me away from heels.

"Esme?" Alice asked. Esme nodded and smiled.

"Bella, you'll look fantastic."

"For what?"

"Can't tell you. I'm not supposed to technically know." Alice smiled. It was her birthday, or so she told me, but it seemed to move around in the year, to coincide with events she wanted to fall on her birthday. Esme's was Christmas, so she was easy to remember. My birthday was in late August, so I'd recently turned seventeen. It was early October, and something had Alice excited.

"Esme? What, hypothetically speaking, would we do for Alice's birthday?"

"Hypothetically speaking? Well, there happens to be a very _special_ band of musicians playing in a concert hall tomorrow, who Alice wants to see."

"The Cullens?" I asked, trying to keep my voice calm. Ever since I was old enough to understand that my adopted sister and mother weren't human, I had learned of Alice's visions. They were useful when it came to saving my life, or catching me before I fell, or even predicting the weather, but not so much when someone is trying to keep a secret or run away. I had tried that once, when I was nine. I wanted to run away, because Esme was angry with me. I wasn't eating and sleeping, I was trying to be like my family. So I decided to run away. Alice caught me before I'd reached the end of the street, and she wasn't even home for the argument.

Alice had been having visions, ever since she was changed into a vampire, about meeting the Cullens. Carlisle was the leader, Edward was the second oldest, then Rosalie, then Emmett and finally Jasper. Although Alice wouldn't tell us much about them, the way she said 'Jasper' and the many sketches she drew of him, told us that they were soul mates. Alice had been waiting for nearly twenty years for them to finally arrive. Esme was the leader of our small family, she was the one who found Alice, or rather, the one Alice found.

Alice had told us stories about silly pranks Emmett would play on Rosalie, tens of years into the future. She wouldn't go into relationships; she thought that was cheating, so I assumed Esme would either end up with Carlisle or Edward, since Rosalie and Emmet were already joined at the hip. We knew every aspect of their personalities, simply because Alice had seen them all. She knew that Esme and herself would one day join their coven, creating a strong, happy family.

I knew I wasn't any part of their future though. I was human, and living with two vampires was strange enough. They had taken care of me simply because Esme had strong mothering instincts and Alice wanted a sister. None of us could possibly try and force me onto five random vampires, even if they were vegetarians. It was taxing enough on Esme and Alice, taking care of me, they had to hunt twice as frequently as regular vampires, though they hunted animals, not humans. Asking an entire coven, especially one as large as the Cullen's, to do this would be too much of an invasive action.

I was old enough to move into my own place, an apartment or something. I could find work easily, especially in a city such as this, and when I finished high school, I would have a little more experience before moving on to college.

"Yes Bella, the Cullens. We have third row tickets." Alice smiled. "Um, hypothetically speaking of course." It was impossible to surprise Alice, but she was a good sport about it.

"You couldn't get first row? Still hypothetical."

"Well, hypothetically, we could, but it would ruin some poor human's fun. We could see them clearly from the back, still, they'll see us, but we won't be right in front, so they won't feel threatened or anything."

"I like this hypothetical situation."

"Well, not hypothetically, you would look awesome in this outfit anyway, so you are putting it on now." Alice ended. I walked off upstairs, wrapping the towel around my hair instead. I slipped into a black underwear combo and then the jeans and shirt. Not surprisingly it all fit perfectly, and I looked damn good, or so Alice said in the shirt. The jeans were just the right fit too; not too long, not too low.

So I slid it all back off, grabbing a regular shirt and some ripped jeans. I then spent most of the day and evening working on my homework. Trigonometry, an English essay and an entire book to translate for Spanish. It stole my Saturday. That night I slept, with a pounding headache, from all of the work and had an odd dream about Shakespeare explaining formulas to me in Spanish. I have no idea what could've possibly put that into my head. Heavy on the sarcasm.

My hands flew swiftly over the imaginary keys on my imaginary keyboard/Grand Piano. I hadn't decided which of the two magnificent instruments I was playing yet. We were rehearsing, simply for the sake of doing something. None of us needed practice, we all knew the chords and notes perfectly. Jasper sat, air-guitaring, Rosalie was getting changed, again. Carlisle was driving, he had just relieved Emmett of that duty. Emmett had nothing to do and so was watching a random television show.

It didn't have to be like this. We had enough money to get our own jet to take us wherever we wanted. We had enough reason to stay out of the public eye, but we were bored, and as long as we kept the concerts small, the Volturi saw no problem in us performing. We needed a little stimulation, so for once, Carlisle had decided not to be a doctor for a few years. We had all stopped pretending to be high school students for a few years. We were a travelling music group. It was fun, I had to admit, but the limitations were annoying. If we needed extra instruments to be playing during a song, we had to send the music sheets to the humans, well in advance, so they could practice. My brethren and I merely had to glance at the sheet and we could play the song. It made writing new songs harder, because they had to look like it had taken time, and needed ironing over, though they didn't. Jasper and I could write at least a song per hour if we set our minds to it. Emmett and Rosalie had provided most of the ideas for songs, Jasper and I wrote the lyrics and music, Carlisle managed, booked, drove, kept an eye on us, and sang and played with us at the concerts.

"Edward?" I glanced up at Rosalie. She was holding a broken mask. "It broke and I have no clue how to sew." I stopped playing my imaginary keyboard. (I had decided against the grand piano, simply because the acoustics were lousy in the RV)

"You should really learn Rosalie. You've only had fifty-odd years to." Rosalie threw me the mask with a small pleading smile. I found the needle and thread,reluctantly, as she began singing. I winced. The song was Rosalie's take on my last 'life'. I had been...friendly...with many girls. It never got to any important stage, nothing but kissing, but considering I had had thirteen girlfriends for one year, she had decided to write it into a song.

"Whose bed have your boots been under?

And whose heart did you steal I wonder?

This time did it feel like thunder, baby?

Whose bed have your boots been under?

Don't look so lonely

Don't act so blue

I know I'm not the only

Girl you run to

I know about Lolita

Your little Spanish flame

I've seen you around with Rita

The redhead down the lane

Whose bed have your boots been under?

And whose heart did you steal I wonder?

This time did it feel like thunder, baby?

And who did you run to?

And whose lips have you been kissin'?

And whose ear did you make a wish in?

Is she the one that you've been missin', baby?

Well whose bed have your boots been under?

I heard you've been sneakin'

Around with Jill

And what about that weekend

With Beverly Hill

And I've seen you walkin'

With long legs Louise

And you weren't just talkin'

Last night with Denise..."

She continued on as the others sang with her and I sighed, stitching quickly and neatly. It was Carlisle's idea to wear masks. He had once been confronted with a photograph of himself, taken fifty years before. Carlisle had had to steal it and destroy it before others could make the connection. Vampires had to stay hidden, so we weren't very photogenic. Carlisle had mentioned that many pictures and videos would be taken, so we were each required to wear masks.

Rosalie's was red silk. Jasper had a traditional bandana always tied around his nose and mouth, so he looked like a rogue cowboy of some sort. Emmet chose green velvet and, like Rose's, it went across the eyes. Carlisle and myself had kept it simple. He had chosen a black silk mask that covered his eyes and nose, and I had chosen identically to him, only in faded silver. It seemed more comfortable than the other styles.

I threw the mask back to her and she blew a small kiss, in appreciation. I rolled my eyes and tried to imagine my keyboard again, when a faint buzzing started up in the back of my mind.

"Carlisle." I stood, walking towards him. I leant on the railing beside the stairs that made the awkward exit. "There are two of our kind in this area. They're just on the edge of my range, though they seem to be getting clearer. This is either their territory, or perhaps they are merely passing through, like ourselves."

"Can you get a clear fix yet?" he asked simply, voicing the real question in his mind; _Are they a threat?_

"It's too early, I can't get a clear enough grasp yet." I shrugged. He considered it.

"We will continue. If anything comes up that proves harmful, we'll leave."

_I wonder if they're female..._ Jasper thought, before he could stop himself. He grinned apologetically at me and I smiled back.

"It's alright. I know you and Carlisle have been alone for quite a while."

"And what about you Edward?" Carlisle asked. Although he was monitoring his thoughts, he wasn't monitoring his emotions, and Jasper and I stuck together.

_He's nervous. He's worried that you're lonely. He's hoping you'll find a mate. _Jasper informed me quietly.

"I'm waiting for the right girl." I shrugged casually and went to lie on the small sofa I had been occupying before. I didn't envy what Emmett and Rosalie had; they were well suited to each other. I was complete, I didn't need 'another half'. Jasper and Carlisle desperately did though. They had both loved before they had been changed and had been searching for that experience again. Perhaps Carlisle had changed me too young. Physically I was younger than everyone here. Rosalie came next at twenty three, but she was still six years older than myself. Technically I was the second oldest. Carlisle had changed me first, almost five hundred years after his creation, due to loneliness.

I desperately hoped that the two I were sensing were matches for Carlisle and Jasper. It would make me happier being around a content family. I waited, trying to focus on their minds as we moved slowly closer towards them.

When I woke up this time, Alice was on top of me. She wasn't touching me; her hands were beside my shoulders and her feet were barely touching the mattress on either side of my legs. To describe her pose, she looked like she was doing a push up, except she was on top of me, trying not to wake me up while waiting for me to wake up.

"Good. You're up. Esme and I can't decide something and we need your help. Should we visit the Cullens now and tell them that we want them to hunt before the concert, just to stay safe, and then bring them back here after or should we leave it as a surprise until the concert and ask them to join us hunting after?"

"Um..." I was trying to think. She had spoken very fast and I had just woken up. "Where am I in the second plan?" I mumbled.

"Oh, you leave right before the grand finale. They start using strobe lights, for a few of their heavier rocks songs at the end." Strobe lights great. I was epileptic. Strobe lights and I didn't mix without bad consequences.

"Second plan I suppose."

"Great. Then don't take the short way home. You get hit by a car." And then she was gone. I grumbled something in response, noting that it was six o'clock in the morning, and got up and dressed. When I got downstairs Esme was mopping. I sat on the hard wood stairs, watching her whizz around quicker than any human could've and then decided to wait until it was dry before I moved.

"Anything I can do?" I asked Esme. She looked at me and looked around.

"I think the milk in the fridge has gone off." She shrugged. Very carefully, or I'd fall, I made my way to the fridge. Alice and Esme tried to avoid the fridge, it smelled too much like the food they hated. As a child I had many cold meals: sandwiches, cold soups and such because the smell of cooking food made them feel sick. Now I kept to it, even though I could cook for myself, simply to repay the kindness.

"Oh, Bella. No thinking." Alice said, appearing beside me. "Edward is getting close enough now to hear us properly."

By lunch time I was ready to kill Alice. If I had been a vampire, I probably would've. However Esme had endless patience and was also quite excited about the Cullens, so she said nothing. All day I had been avoiding thinking about Alice and Esme and they had avoided thinking about me. Alice said she wanted to find the right way to tell the Cullens about me. A human had never in recorded history spent more than a few days in the presence of vampires, let alone live with them for over a decade. I was sitting, thinking about my English essay, and whether or not to make my transition paragraph longer when Alice appeared and swept me into a hug.

"Don't you dare even think that way!"

"What way?" Esme asked, appearing a second later.

"You want my transition paragraph to stay short?" I asked confusedly.

"No it could be longer, but it's not what I'm talking about." Alice said quickly. "How could you even _think_ about leaving us?" She looked at me with her black eyes and reminded me strongly of a slapped puppy. I sat down again, feeling tears coming.

I tried to explain to them, how I felt in the way, especially now that their future family had actually come. How they could all be happy together, and I would just be a problem if I tried to be a part of that, the misfit, the outsider, the weakling, always needing protection. I explained how I believed I was old enough to get my own place and move to university, and how it would be easier on them.

"Isabella." Esme leaned in, kissing my forehead. "We are not going to leave you for them. We can wait forever if necessary. We love you, you know. You are my daughters, both of you, I could never force you out of my life. You would be unhappy so alone."

She was right. She always was. I could feel the tears sliding down my face.

"I don't want to be in the way though."

"You won't be. Besides, you are an accident magnet. Do you honestly think you'd survive a week out there without getting hurt?" Alice laughed. I smiled. Maybe I wouldn't lose my family after all.

I was still focusing when Carlisle stopped. We had been driving all night. We were finally at the concert hall. Emmett and Jasper and Carlisle began unloading the instruments and other necessities, wearing the masks, of course. Whenever we left the RV the masks had to be on. It was annoying. Rosalie had gone in to start talking to the other musicians that would play as our backup in some songs. I sat, still in the bus trying to pick up thoughts. I had so far caught only a few whispers of thoughts. They either didn't think much or knew about my talent, probably the latter, although I wondered how they could possibly know. I knew that they were both female, they were both living here permanently and thankfully, shared our diet. I also knew they were hiding something, and that one of them was practically buzzing with random thoughts of clothing and sales. Rosalie would like her.

For a moment I saw a flicker of a human face, and then it was gone. I sighed, sliding on my mask and exiting the RV also. The weather in this region was unpredictable, so we were all wearing long sleeved shirts and jeans, gloves and hats, although it was warm out. If the sun caught us it would be very hard to explain.

We sat in the concert hall, going over songs and debating the order, again, when I suddenly got a clear thought from one of the other vampires.

_Edward Cullen. My name is Alice. We would like to invite you to join us on a hunting expedition after your concert tonight, and then we would love to meet face to face with you and your coven. We will be at the show, so you can let us know your answer then. Good luck!_

And then it was gone, her mind blanked again.

"Guys." I murmured. "They want to meet us. One's name is Alice. They want to take us...hiking... after the show." I knew we were in range of a few human ears.

"Do they enjoy off trail hiking?" Carlisle asked. It was his way of asking if they drank from humans or animals.

"Yes, they don't follow traditional routes."

"Well then it should be no problem." Carlisle nodded, thinking cautiously, but as ever, openly. Emmett looked excited. Rosalie had jealous thoughts. Jasper was trying to shake something off.

"Jasper?" I asked. He looked up at me.

"They're both so delighted to have us here, but there's more, it's like relief and anticipation." He shrugged. "It feels pretty good. I don't know if I'll be able to concentrate."

_Yeah right. Jasper is always concentrating. _Rosalie.

_I want to learn how to burp the alphabet._ Emmett. It didn't take much for his thoughts to wander in completely random directions.

_It's as if they are expecting us. What if it is a sort of set up? Some kind of trick that the Volturi are playing?_ Carlisle. He was appearing happy, but his thoughts were much darker.

"Carlisle. They don't feel dangerous." I muttered in tones that humans couldn't hear. So we sat, getting ready for the show, waiting for the new mystery of the small coven that seemed interested in us. They still kept their thoughts surprisingly blank, and any slips revealed nothing but simple chores or activities. I was getting frustrated.

I was dressed and ready to go. I did look fantastic again, Alice came into my room wearing a beautiful blood red shirt (ironic) and dark jeans combination. Esme had an emerald green halter shirt that accented her beautiful curves. We drove to the small theatre and took our seats. The band hadn't arrived yet, but Alice was buzzing. I sat on the outside seat, ready to make my quick getaway when Alice warned me about the strobe lighting. The other hundred and ninety-seven people filled their seats also, until the hall was loud with chatter.

It was then that the band walked out, receiving a warm round of applause. Their masks didn't help to cover their astounding beauty. All were flawless. One tall leonine boy had blonde hair and a guitar in his hands. Alice told me that it was Jasper. A bronze haired boy, also tall, sat at a piano.

"Edward." She muttered barely into my ear.

A muscular dark haired guy sat at a drum set. "Emmett."

A blonde relaxed looking man sat, with an assortment of instruments within his reach.

"Carlisle."

A gorgeous blond woman walked out after. She had the body of a Victoria's Secret fashion model. The anxious crowd quieted and the first song started up. Jasper strummed softly on his guitar and Edward began to gently caress the keys of the piano with his fingers. Carlisle began singing as Rosalie took up another guitar and Emmett got ready with the drums.

"I got my first real six-string

Bought it at the five-and-dime

Played it till my fingers bled

It was the summer of '69

Me and some guys from school

Had a band and we tried real hard

Jimmy quit and Jody got married

I shoulda known we'd never get far

Oh when I look back now

That summer seemed to last forever

And if I had the choice

Ya - I'd always wanna be there

Those were the best days of my life..."

I noticed that during the concert a lot of ironic lines would appear, like; I could go drinking, but I can't stand the stuff. Little lines in the songs that implied nothing and everything. It made Alice and Esme smile. Each of the Cullens took their turns singing. Rosalie leaned more towards country, Emmett towards heavy rock, Jasper towards light rock/country, Edward towards older songs that had been done by Sinatra and other icons, Carlisle stuck with softer love song type rock.

I could see both Jasper and Edward keep looking at Alice and Esme, clearly confused and intrigued. Their inhuman voices washed over the crowd, as did Jasper's gift, so Alice told me.

I saw Alice pause out of the corner of my eye and Edward's head shot up quickly, to look at her. She was having a vision. Probably of me going into an epileptic fit. She leaned over to me and talked as if we barely knew each other.

"You know, they're about to start adding some cool effects, strobe lights and stuff." I nodded, sliding out of my seat.

"Well then I have to go. Enjoy the rest!" I said enthusiastically, walking swiftly out of the hall, just as the door closed behind me I saw a flicker of a strobe light and heard the next song start up. Talk about timing. I slowly walked home, enjoying the peace of the night. I took Alice's advice, taking the long route home and when I eventually got there I found a book, an apple and my iPod and sat, waiting for them to return.

As we walked into the hall, we saw them immediately. They were dressed simply enough, but their pale, beautiful faces stood out. They were talking quietly with each other.

_Hello again Edward._ The smaller one smiled. She had spiky black hair and a mischievous, but warm smile lit up her face. Her blood red shirt contrasted with her white skin to an extreme. The lady beside her was also quite stunning. She had an emerald shirt on and her soft curls bounced around her face.

_Hello Edward. My name is Esme. We've been expecting you all for a while now._ Her smile was more motherly, she was the leader, you could tell by the ring of authority in her mind. We began playing and Alice stared at Jasper.

_He's changed his hair._ She stated, accusingly. How the devil did she know that? We had only been in the public view for a year now, and Jasper's haircut was shortly before we chose to become a band.

_She's trying not to, but she's feeling an intense wave of happiness, love and content. The older one is feeling relieved and full of anticipation._ Jasper informed me.

_She's beautiful. I've never seen her likeness, in all my years... _Carlisle, while he stared at Esme. I bit back a grin, focusing on the keys. Perhaps Jasper and Carlisle would involve themselves with these two. I scanned the crowd again, watching each face, until I came to the girl sitting quietly beside Alice. Her thoughts weren't there. If I closed my eyes, it felt like the seat was empty, but I opened them again and she was sitting there, enjoying the show. Her brown eyes were like dark chocolate, and difficult to see, even with the heightened sense of vision vampires possessed. Her brown curls fell around her shoulders, shining delicately and she smiled as she listened to the song.

Jasper and I had written many 'inside jokes' about family events into the songs. It surprised me when Alice giggled after one of them.

_I remember that! Hilarious. I owe Emmett for an hour of laughter._ The statement surprised me so much that I hit the wrong key. None of the humans in the hall heard the slip, but my family certainly did; I was immediately ridiculed.

_Nice one, Eddie._ I hated that name.

The songs seemed to pass by so slowly, all of us were anxious to meet the mysterious women. Just before the start of the special effects, I was reading Alice again when suddenly I seemed to be looking through her eyes.

_She was looking down at all of us when the strobe lights began flashing. The quiet girl to her left clenched up and began to convulse, falling from her seat. It looked like a seizure or an epileptic fit._

My perspective returned to normal. That explained how Alice knew who we were. She could have visions of the future. She leaned over to talk to the girl. The human then got up and left, before the prophecy could fulfill itself.

_Better safe than sorry._ Alice chimed.

At the end of the show, after a long round of applause, the humans all cleared, leaving Alice and Esme sitting in their seats. The security guards began moving towards them but we waved them off.

The women stood gracefully and walked calmly down to see us. Alice looked like she was about ready to run, but Esme had a firm hand on her shoulder. I sighed. I could hear only one word spewing from Alice's mind.

_Hug. Hug. Hug. Hug._

I stood and opened my arms, she bolted the last ten meters and nearly knocked me over. She was practically squeaking the entire time. Emmett had poised for attack, but then he relaxed and laughed when he realised she was hugging the living daylights out of me. She then bolted to Emmett as I rubbed my ribs. Esme sighed and held out her hand.

"Edward." She said. I took her hand, kissing it like a proper gentleman. She smiled.

"Edward, Carlisle, Rose, Emmett, Jasper I have been waiting so long to meet all of you!" Alice had hugged everyone but Jasper. Her enthusiastic attitude took on a shy quality and she gently hugged him instead. A vision flashed through her head.

_Jasper was waiting, in a church, watching Alice walk up the aisle towards him._ The vision ended and Alice, embarrassed picked up an instrument and began reciting the chords to one of our songs. I opened my mouth to tell Jasper when Esme interrupted.

_Edward Cullen! Alice has been trying her hardest not to look at future relationships and not tell about what she has seen to anyone. She feels guilty about asking half the questions she is going to, simply because she knows the answers already. She keeps reminding me that the future is not preordained and that one small decision can rearrange an entire lifetime. She is trying her hardest to keep quiet, to let others choose, as should you._

I closed my mouth, feeling properly scolded. Not even Carlisle had that effect on me, and I considered him my father figure. Jasper had felt my mischief, then Esme's anger, and then my submission and laughed.

"Edward just got yelled at." Emmett and Rosalie found this hilarious.

"We seem to have forgotten the simple introductions." Esme reminded us. "My name is Esme Hale and this is my daughter figure Alice. We have known your names for a while now, so I thought a little levelling of the playing field was necessary."

"How?" Carlisle asked, coming to face Esme.

"Alice has...premonitions, she can see future events. She saw us meeting long before you'd even met Emmet and Jasper."

"How does that work?" Carlisle asked.

"Not well. I can see visions based upon decisions people make. Weather is easy to do, so I know exactly when and when not to be outside. Matches and concerts are usually easy, unless a player or singer changes their mind about something. Then the outcome may or may not change. It can be useful, as Edward learned during the concert. Or it can be annoying, especially when it comes to surprises. I've pretty much ruined Christmas and birthdays." Alice laughed at herself. Jasper smiled too.

"What happened during the concert?"

"The girl beside her was going to go into an epileptic fit." I supplied. "Alice advised her to leave."

"Her future was determined, because none of you had decided not to use the strobe lights, but when I made her leave, it changed again."

"Can I have a map to this conversation?" Emmett asked shaking his head in confusion. Rosalie sighed.

"Now, I would love to continue talking, but perhaps in a more comfortable environment. I will invite you back to our house, but first, I wish to ask you to accompany us on a hunt. It is our only condition." Her and Alice immediately cleared their minds again.

"Oh, it's going to rain, so bring a change of clothes." Alice smiled. "Do you need help packing this up? No you don't, good. Can you meet us outside in a half hour? We'll drive you to our favourite hunting area. Good. No Emmett, there aren't any bears." Alice jumped off. Esme stood pressing her hands to her temples.

"I'm afraid that she just finished this conversation for us. Apparently I will see you all in thirty minutes." She curtsied and walked away, quickly to catch up with Alice. We stood in shock at how quickly and strangely the meeting had gone.

I was bored. It had started raining and I knew they would be home soon. I sat, quietly singing along to the song on my iPod. I closed my eyes and immersed myself in the sad tune. My fingers hovered in front of me on the imaginary keyboard, and I began pressing the air where the notes would be. My breathing remained steady and I was calm enough to sleep by the time they arrived, but I didn't know they had.

As we neared the house, we slipped into the spare clothes. We were driving to it and marvelled immediately at how isolated yet urban the area was. When we got out of the RV it was still raining, but Alice immediately let us indoors, so we hardly got wet. The first thing I heard was singing. My mind opened; I expected another person to be in the house, but there was nothing there. Alice disappeared and came back motioning for us to be quiet. We followed her into the living room and froze. The quiet girl from the concert was sitting there, singing to a Kelly Clarkson song on her iPod. Her fingers brushed an imaginary keyboard and I immediately knew she played, she was hitting every note in correspondence to the tune.

Alice quietly, even by our standard knelt beside her, staring at her. She finished the song and opened her eyes, jumping back in alarm.

"Alice! You could've given me a heart attack!" she whined.

"Could've just as easily broke your neck so quit complaining."

We could all hear her blood pumping quickly through her body. I felt the venom begin to fill my mouth.

"Now do you see why we asked you to hunt?" Esme asked calmly, walking and pulling the girl to her feet. She smoothed down her hair and made no move to approach us.

"The Cullens I presume?" she asked quietly. Carlisle stepped forward, as the rest of us were too shocked to move. The girl held out her hand to shake his.

"I'm Bella."

"Carlisle." He responded taking my hand. He had the same icy, strong skin as Esme and Alice. Thankfully, all of their eyes were ranging from topaz to dark gold, so I felt relatively safe.

"Anyone thirsty?" Alice asked. I turned and glared at her.

"Oh very funny."

"I thought so."

"Stupid bloodsucker."

"Shatterglass."

"Leech."

"Girls!" Esme interrupted. "Remember how the last argument turned out." I winced grabbing my shoulder.

"Yeah I remember." Alice had yanked on my arm hard enough to dislocate it, thankfully not hard enough to relocate it, or I could have been armless.

"I said sorry!" Alice complained, sitting on one of the couches, her arms folded. I sat on the couch beside her, resting my head on her shoulder.

"I know."

"Please, all of you sit. The initial conversation will take a while." Esme said. I saw five sets of eyes flicker towards me and back to Esme.

"Don't worry about me Esme. Talk at your speed, Alice can fill me in later." I closed my eyes, not wanting to see their awkward stares. I heard them all sit down and then a very fast conversation filled the room.

"Does Bella live with you?" Carlisle immediately asked.

"Ever since she was five. She's seventeen now." Esme replied. I was barely paying attention. She smelled delicious. More so than any other human I had ever encountered. My mouth was filling up with venom twice as quickly. Every breath she exhaled made me thirstier, every beat of her heart made me tenser. Jasper and Alice both looked at me quickly.

"Edward?" Jasper said. Waves of calm washed over me, but I could feel his hunger too, and it didn't help my concentration. Esme knew something was wrong, she calmly stepped in front of Bella, with her hands up, to show she meant no harm. When I lost sight of her it seemed to help a little. I sat back down, not even realising I had stood placing my head in my hands. I swallowed the pool of venom in my mouth and tried to control the burning hunger. The others relaxed when I did, but Esme hesitantly sat, closer to Bella this time.

"I've never smelt anyone so..." I couldn't finish, knowing it would upset them. Emmett placed a reassuring hand on my shoulder.

"Hold your breath. It helps. I learned that the first time Bella slit her arm open. The urge to kill was nearly irresistible, but I managed." Alice murmured. The thought of her arm gushing blood wasn't helping my control.

"Let's start at the beginning. Shall we?"

"Alice and I have been together for twenty-six years; she found me after I jumped off a cliff. She saved me, taught me; how she lived, what I was, about our eventual future and even our meeting with you." Esme smiled at Alice who was still holding Bella. "In many ways, Alice was the mother figure of the family. I was physically older, but she had spent so many years before she met me, perfecting her control, to prepare herself for our encounter."

"I practiced on animals. I only took bites, even when I was extremely thirsty and restrained myself. It was so much harder on Esme, but I think knowing that I would be able to stop helped." Alice's eyes were far away and I began to watch the images, I closed my eyes, glad to have a distraction from the tantalizing smell. _Bella,_ I reminded myself,_ her name is Bella._ It helped to think of them as sentient beings. It made the inescapable thirst easier to ignore. Esme continued:

"Fourteen years we travelled together, Alice became like my daughter very quickly.

_I'm too irresponsible to be in charge. _Alice.

"We moved to this town and our lives were pretty isolated, until, on one hunt, we came across Bella. She was deep in the woods, alone, scared, tired, hungry and no memory of how she got there. All she could tell us and the authorities she contacted was that her name was Bella and she was five. We were allowed to keep her at our home while they searched for her family. We fed her, clothed her, took care of her for weeks. Eventually they took her away from us and put her in an orphanage. The short time she had spent with us affected us deeply. We had become attached to her, so we legally adopted her."

I opened my eyes again, focusing less on the images Esme was remembering. Bella had been a beautiful child, even when she was alone and scared, the faintest flicker of hope stayed in her eyes as she looked up at Esme.

_It's like a made up story or something._ Emmett.

_She looks at least sixteen, so over a decade? It's practically unheard of. What would Aro think of this? He'd either kill her or change her._ Carlisle.

_Bella doesn't look anything special. Why would Edward react so violently?_ Rosalie.

_Alice is beautiful. I've never felt anyone so genuinely happy and carefree. Not vampires anyway..._ Jasper.

Carlisle was nodding in respect and understanding. Alice spoke:

"We tried to keep the human facade up, but Bella caught on quickly. We sparkle in the sunlight, don't sleep, don't eat, had a difficult time around blood, well you know. She tried to imitate us to the point of hospitalization on her behalf, so we told her the truth."

"She accepted you?" Rosalie interrupted.

"We were her only family. She's more comfortable around us than she ever has been around humans."

"Bella is unique like that." Alice smiled.

_What is she thinking Edward?_ Jasper asked._ She's surrounded by seven vampires and the only thing she's feeling is a touch of self-consciousness._

"I can't tell." I muttered, frustratedly. Everyone but Jasper and the subject matter (who hadn't heard any of this conversation) stared at me.

"Sorry?" Esme asked politely.

"Jasper wanted to know if I could hear her thoughts, but I can't. Every time I try, it's like there's no one there at all."

Carlisle lit up with interest, opening his mouth to ask a question.

"Absolutely." Alice answered. She poked Bella whose eyes snapped open. "We're done. Question time."

After a count of only forty five Alice prodded me.

"We're done. Question time."

"Forty five. You're getting slow Alice." I teased. She had told the last vampire in twenty seven seconds.

"For your information," she looked miffed, "There was a distraction." I smiled at her and turned to the Cullens.

"Ask away." I invited.

"How are you so comfortable?" Jasper asked instantly. I laughed.

"It's quite a soft couch actually." I explained as they all laughed. "I trust them and they trust you." I shrugged. I looked over to Edward, wondering if he was reading my mind and regretted it. His jaw was clenched, he wasn't breathing, his posture was tense and his expression was furious. None of that mattered though; his eyes, although topaz, were extremely excited... he was thirsty and he wanted me.

My stomach clenched and I felt a flicker of fear shoot through me. Jasper, who had been staring at Alice, looked up at me and then Edward and sent a wave of intense relaxation through the room. I let the lethargy wash over me and the world went black.

I opened my eyes to Carlisle's face; he looked apologetic.

"Sorry about that." Came Jasper's voice.

"What?"

"You smell very good to Edward. Jasper tried to calm him down. It only calmed us vamps but it knocked you out faster than a pint of vodka." Alice rambled, pulling me to my feet. I looked around for Edward, but he had gone. I resettled myself on the couch and Emmett asked a question.

"So you aren't weirded out by any of this?"

"Is weirded a word? And no. If anyone in this room is weird it's me."

Esme laughed. At the sound of her laugh, Carlisle smiled and averted his eyes, trying not to stare. Jasper looked at Carlisle knowingly. The questioning continued late into the morning, until they knew practically my everyday schedule. My eyelids were getting heavier and heavier and the suppressed yawns were coming faster and faster, until eventually my body gave up and I toppled over, completely asleep.

I _had_ to run. I had nearly killed her, despite my hunting recently. If Jasper hadn't calmed me, I probably would've. I had thought my control was better than that, that I was stronger. But no one had ever smelt so appealing to me before.

I was in the RV. I hadn't run far, just far enough away that I couldn't hear her heart, or smell her blood. I could hear the conversation and watch it through the other's eyes. Out here, I could think clearly, I didn't have to kill her.

_You weren't going to hurt her, I could see that._ Alice thought, but her mind blanked after and I knew she was lying.

_Edward are you alright?_ Carlisle.

"I'm fine." I spat. I sat with my hands pressed to my temples and watched Bella through Jasper. She seemed a little shaken, but not terrified. She should've been terrified. I could've gotten past Esme so easily. Alice would've been harder, but I would've been able to... I stopped my thoughts and tried to focus on the conversation.

I watched her until about three in the morning. Since the conversation had started, everyone had spread out among the couches. On one couch, Rosalie and Emmett sat, Alice and Jasper had their own couch too. Their thoughts were completely on each other. Esme sat, curled up like a cat in the single armchair, but she was leaning towards Carlisle, who was sitting beside Bella on the loveseat.

Despite being so close to a strange vampire, she was incredibly comfortable, with no help from Jasper at all. I actually laughed when she toppled over, to lay, completely asleep in Carlisle's lap. At first he was shocked, but he quickly relaxed, especially when Alice and Esme laughed. Esme slid her arms under Bella and carried her upstairs to her room.

"Goodnight, my darling." She whispered and came downstairs to continue the conversation. I re-entered then also.

"I apologize..." I began, addressing all of them, but Alice cut me off.

"It's alright. She won't blame you. I asked - or will ask." She clarified laughing. Jasper smiled at the sound. He had always been the darkest of us; the debt of so much human life hanging over his head, rarely did we see him actually smile. The others noticed it also.

_Jasper is pretty happy. I hope Alice and him hook up. She'd make a great shopping partner. _Rosalie.

_Alice could be useful in the whole pranking deal. Even if she doesn't like Jazz, I want her to stay._ Emmett.

_Edward, does she feel the same way?_ Carlisle. I looked up at the ceiling and then down at my hands, (a discreet nod).

Esme and Carlisle, although both focused on the other, kept their thoughts polite. The conversation moved to our daily life, with Alice asking the outcomes of many situations that she wasn't sure had happened or not. She told Emmett about a prank he'd almost played and had us all in stitches.

"Stupid sleep. Vampires are lucky. They don't lose a third of their lives to the abyss." Bella said clearly and walked downstairs. I was prepared now; I held my breath, wondering why she had suddenly woken, when Alice started laughing. Bella walked in, her eyes open, but not seeing; sleepwalking.

"I need a pen." She announced. Esme found her one and Bella turned away, writing something on her arm. Esme sighed and followed.

"Oh Bella! Did you have to?" We heard Esme moan. Bella was humming to herself and I could hear a faint scratching noise.

"Go!" Alice told us, seeing our interested expressions. We all enetered the kitchen and found Bella standing on top of the kitchen counter writing what I recognized as music on the cabinets. She was working away, placing notes on lines that weren't there. Esme called Carlisle over and they both managed to get Bella off of the counter when she stopped, dropping her hands to her sides and standing there. She was mostly in Carlisle's arms, still muttering about sleeping, so Esme led him upstairs.

I read the notes on the cupboard and hummed the tune. It was quite beautiful. I could almost hear it in my mind on a piano.

"Sorry Esme. I just couldn't believe how quickly she moved. She has amazing balance skills when she's asleep. Ooh! I have an idea!" She looked at us, about to ask and then smiled. "Great, I knew it! Come on then." She ran off. We all looked confused, even me.

"We're supposed to follow." Esme shrugged and slid her arm into Carlisle's waiting one. They ran off. Jasper had bolted as soon as Alice did. Rosalie looked intrigued and ran off too. I stared at Emmett.

"How can someone so small be so annoying?" I asked as we began to whizz after them.

Alice led us to a large clearing and we heard thunder roll across the sky. It was still raining, so we were all soaked. She had in her hands a baseball bat and ball.

"Fancy a game?" She asked innocently. Emmett swept her into a huge hug.

"Alice you are my new favourite vampire! Other than Rosalie." He amended quickly.

When I woke up I was in my bed. The clock said that it was eight in the morning. I didn't need lots of sleep, but I knew I needed more than five hours. I ran my fingers through my hair and slipped out of my clothes, into a bathrobe and then into the bathroom. I was about to start the shower when I saw the notes. I went in search for a piece of paper, writing down the notes already on my arm and went searching through the house for the rest.

"How the hell did I get up there?" I wondered to myself. I got, awkwardly, onto the counter and copied the rest of the notes to the paper, wondering if Esme was angry with me for writing on her cupboards.

"I like what you're wearing." A voice sounded behind me and I whirled around, only to fall off the counter and into a strong pair of cold arms. I looked up at Rosalie, seeing her dripping and muddy, but still beautiful.

"Sorry Rosalie, I thought I was alone."

"Well you were." Came Emmett's voice, making me jump again. "Sorry." He smiled a goofy grin.

Rosalie still hadn't put me down when the rest arrived. They were all covered in mud, except Esme. Edward kept his distance. I became very aware that I wore nothing but a bathrobe and that it was showing a little too much leg and chest for my liking. Rose put me down.

"Good morning. Baseball I'm assuming?" Carlisle nodded in response.

"Good morning, and yes. It was a good game."

"Who won?" I asked smiling.

"I refereed." Esme shrugged. "Alice, Emmett and Jasper were the less fortunate team. Edward can run fantastically fast." She looked at my bathrobe.

"Oh. I'm about to steal a shower. I should be out in a few minutes." I saw how dirty they all were.

"Girls get Bella's bathroom then, boys can have the other one." Alice chimed and swept me upstairs. She gave me my outfit when I was finished too.

"I am capable of dressing myself you know." I said, grumpy from sleep loss. I slipped on the faded jeans and purple tank anyway and found the music sheet. I darted off to the music room as the others had the shower wars.

The music room held some simple recording equipment, a piano, keyboard and a microphone, for the rare occasions where I would write a song that could be actually sung. I sat and played the tune, making adjustments when I saw fit. I was only at it for a few minutes. I ended up with a two minute piano solo.

"That was beautiful." Edward's voice sounded from nowhere and I jumped, hitting a few keys.

"Sorry." He smiled from the door. He was clean and freshly dressed. His beautiful posture and smile made my heart pick up a little, so I determinedly stared at the sheet of music.

"Esme and Alice usually make some noises, so that I'm not always jumping out of my skin." I explained uselessly. I brushed my wet hair away from my face. Edward came to stand beside me, looking casually through the papers beside the keyboard.

"Did you write all of these?" Edward asked.

"In my sleep. Every few months or so I wake up with notes scrawled on my arms and legs, then I have to find what couldn't fit. Esme got extremely mad when I wrote on her couch." I frowned at myself, shrugging. Edward ran his hand through his beautiful hair.

"Don't compose when you're awake?" he asked. It sounded forced, like he was making himself talk to me.

"No. I only edit what I wrote whilst sleeping." Edward wasn't breathing. His jaw was clenched and his eyes were excited.

"You don't have to try so hard. I understand and don't really mind if you avoid me. I don't want you to be uncomfortable."

"What?"

"I know I smell _different_ to you. You don't have to force yourself to be around me." I wanted to try and make it easier for him. It was why I had barely moved since he entered. Edward smiled. He cautiously put his hand on my shoulder and I held my breath, awaiting the worst.

"Thank you, but I think I can manage." He said. Then he looked frustrated again. "What I don't like is not being able to hear your thoughts."

I felt secretly happy. It was very taxing not to think about how beautiful the Cullens, especially Edward, were.

"Really? You aren't lying? You honestly can't read my thoughts?" I asked smiling. Edward only seemed more frustrated. I calmly and slowly stood up, only to be swept into a bone crunching hug.

"Alice." I managed to say.

"Ijusthadavision!" she squealed as she let go of me. Edward was laughing.

"You think you'd be used to it by now." I muttered.


	2. Chapter 2

BPOV

She mouthed 'Jasper' to me and I sighed and continued downstairs, until I fell straight into the arms of Emmett, who was wet and half dressed.

"Oops." He laughed a big bear-like laugh and let me go. When I finally got to the kitchen I grabbed a handful of grapes and slid into a chair. Edward was still there watching and I wondered if he was perhaps still testing himself, or if he was observing his prey before he hunted. The thought sent shivers down my spine.

Carlisle appeared beside me next. He had just gotten out of the shower and was wrapped in only a towel. I felt the blush creep onto my cheeks as I averted my eyes. His body was damn good.

"I do beg your pardon Bella, but Emmett has stolen both my clothes and the keys to the RV." Carlisle explained awkwardly. Esme walked in then.

"Oh." She sighed, staring at Carlisle's perfect figure, until she remembered herself and looked at me instead. "Emmett told me that what Carlisle wanted was in my washing machine."

"The keys too?" I asked. Anger flashed over her face, and she went to check. She came back with a set of keys in her hand which she threw to Carlisle, trying desperately not to look at him again, and failing.

"They're being washed with Emmett, Jasper, Rosalie's and Edward's clothes." Esme apologized. Carlisle took the keys and went to get new clothing, muttering an apology again.

"Don't worry Esme, I promise." Edward muttered. Esme hugged him and sat beside me.

"Only grapes?"

"Too tired to bother." I replied, laying my head on the table. "Woke up early yesterday, got to bed late, woke up early again... I give up. Kill me now, before Alice finds another way to torture me."

"I don't torture you. If you want to hear the songs you missed from the concert, it's playing on television. Close your eyes though." Alice's voice came as she swept me into her arms and took me to the living room. I sat listening to 'Move Along' and heard the others enter the room after.

The game was fun. Esme didn't play, making sure we didn't cheat. Carlisle, Rosalie and myself took the lead pretty early, but the others still fought back well. Everyone was dirty except Esme when we finished. She laughed when Rosalie realised this and bolted to the residence, Emmett following. I left last, passing all of them and arriving first, only to find myself in the kitchen, watching Bella copy the notes from the cupboard to a sheet of paper. Rosalie showed up and walked behind her.

"I like what you're wearing." Rose stated. Bella whipped around, only to fall into her arms. I recoiled as her scent wafted towards me. She was exposing a lot more skin, making it much more painful to stand there. The others showed up shortly after.

_She looks exhausted._ Carlisle. I had to agree with him. The dark circles under her eyes were almost as prominent as our own. When she disappeared to have a shower I went into the other, washing thoroughly all the dirt from my body. When I got out, Emmett got in, forming a prank of some sort.

_Alice and Jasper are hitting off fine, but Esme and Carlisle need a shove..._

If I stopped hearing, I could claim no responsibility later, so I shut him out. As I stretched in the hallway, Emmett rushed past me, with Carlisle's clothes in his hands and a towel wrapped around his lower half. I realised that the other girls were showering, and I went to find Bella.

I wanted to apologize for my rude behaviour, to prove to myself that I was strong, and to read her mind. I could hear a light piano tune from one of the rooms on the level I was on, so I went in search of it. And then I found Bella. She was sitting at a keyboard, playing the piece I had seen scrawled across the cupboards. Her dark purple shirt had a beautiful contrast with her translucently pale skin. She was still wet from the shower, her curls leaving dark stains on her shirt. The only problem was; she still smelled fantastic.

I slowed my breathing. I could control this. I watched her fingers hover over the different keys and caress them, when she read from the page. Each key she gently stroked, with an elegance it had taken me years to master.

"It's quite beautiful." I murmured, unsure if I meant the way she played, or the music. She jumped, making me smile. I walked forward and looked through the other sheets of music. All were beautiful, lullaby-like pieces. Despite my mind's preoccupation, my body was aching for her. Venom was coating my teeth, my legs wanted to crouch, to get ready to pounce, to strike, to kill. The thirst seared down my throat. I dug my nails into my palm, trying to calm myself.

"Did you write all of these?" I asked, trying desperately to keep my voice casual. When she answered, new waves of her scent hit me and my hand began to reach for her neck. I pulled it up quickly, running it through my damp hair.

"Don't compose while you're awake?" I asked through gritted teeth. When she laughed I memorized the sound. It was beautiful, almost ethereal. I stared at her, trying to ascertain her thoughts and realised that she was tense, barely breathing. Her posture was wary, but her eyes were relaxed, calm, worried and guilty? I couldn't be sure. The deep brown of her eyes seemed to make them stretch to infinity, showing an endless depth of emotions, some I couldn't begin to recognize. But her mind remained untouchable. I sighed in frustration, pressing my hands to my temples.

"You don't have to try so hard. I understand and don't really mind if you avoid me. I don't want you to be uncomfortable." She said. That threw me. Most humans were taxingly unobservant creatures, not noticing the slight differences that indicated we were thirsty.

"What?" I asked, knowing the answer already.

"I know I smell _different_ to you. You don't have to force yourself to be around me." She clarified. With great effort I raised my hand and rested it on her shoulder. I felt a current of electricity running through my arm at the touch. She had avoided movement, slowed her breathing all to make _me_ feel more comfortable. In what world was this fair? What god found this the slightest bit humorous?

After a few more quick sentences, she stood, cautioning me with her eyes. I felt the irony of our situation once more; the prey warning the predator. Alice darted up the stairs, elated at something and pulled Bella into a tight hug. I heard all of the air being squeezed out of her and her small whine of pain. Something inside me wanted to attack Alice, for the harm she was causing Bella. I brushed it aside quickly.

"I just had a vision!" she said, though I couldn't be sure if Bella had heard; she had spoken quickly.

"You think you'd be used to it by now." She muttered back. Alice showed me.

_Jasper and her were running through the woods, hunting probably. He stopped to look at a river and she bounded at him, throwing the two of them into the water. When he surfaced he was laughing, a full, hearty laugh. One that my family nor I had ever heard. Alice surfaced and jumped onto his back._

"_Gotcha." She said. Jasper spun around and kissed her. Alice feigned a faint and fell back into the water, where Jasper dove after her._ The vision faded. I smothered a laugh. I followed Bella, as she began her way down the stairs, falling into Emmett.

_Mission accomplished._ He thought to me as he continued. When Bella got to the kitchen I stood a few inches away, inhaling her scent, trying to train my body to resist.

_Shit. Emmett strikes again._ Carlisle. He only ever swore in his mind. He dashed out of the bathroom, trying to get into the RV. Realising it was locked he came for me. As soon as he paused, Bella noticed him and blushed. The rush of warm blood made the monster inside me roar for her, so I stepped back a little. Carlisle was apologizing when Esme walked in.

_In the washing machine? Why on earth is that boy being cryptic?_ Esme.

"Oh." She breathed, looking at him. A thousand thoughts flashed through her head as her eyes wandered down his chest and back up to his shy face. It was moments like these I truly regretted this talent. After a few incriminating images, Esme remembered me.

_Sorry Edward. I want very much to hold him, to try and explain how I feel, but it's ridiculous. We've only actually met a few hours ago._

_Her eyes lingered._ Carlisle. A few images of choice flashed through his head also. _Sorry Edward. Does she feel the way I feel for her? It's impossible. We've only known each other a short time._

It took every fibre in my being, not to laugh. They both thought and felt so similarly, yet were both too shy and polite to do anything.

_Wow._ Jasper. _Edward, you are so lucky you aren't feeling this. Way too much – what's the right word? – longing._

When Carlisle had the keys he left and Esme turned to me.

_I would very much appreciate that being kept between us. Please?_ She asked. I reassured her. She hugged me exactly like a mother would and I irrationally felt a surge of pleasure; she was the mother our family needed. Rosalie, Emmett and Jasper were my siblings, Carlisle my father. If Carlisle and Esme continued down this track, soon enough she could be my mother.

Bella moved into the other room to hear the rest of the concert and I followed, almost unconsciously. As the last song ended, Alice flicked off the T.V. and Bella opened her beautiful eyes again.

"I like playing hooky." She smiled. I was confused. 'Hooky'?

_She is supposed to be in school right now. But we let her skip today, if only because of sleep deprivation. And she likes you guys. Why don't you offer to play for her or something? Make it worth skipping school._ Alice.

"Bella, would you..." I started saying before I actually thought about what we could do. She turned towards me, her face expressionless. "Would you like to practice with us? Alice has been bugging me to let her do some singing."

_How come I have to take the hit for this one? _Alice. Rosalie glared at me, about to make a remark, but a look from me silenced her. Carlisle, Jasper and Emmett were ready and willing. Esme looked excited too. Jasper took Alice, shyly by the hand and they raced out to get instruments. Emmett took Rosalie and Carlisle held out his arm for Esme, who gracefully took it, as they all went to find instruments also. As soon as they disappeared Bella wrote into the dust on the television.

_**I think we have a few new couples in the making.**_

_I agree._ I wrote back. With her sleeves she erased the conversation and started towards the music room. I kept my distance, but still followed her closely. I heard Alice debating with herself.

_Should I? It's not really changing much, but it would be kind of weird too. I don't know. Edward. Pick yes or no._

"Yes?" I murmured, outside the range of human hearing. I was still trying to ignore the fact that Bella was not only close, but comfortable. Alice left and returned with several sheets of paper.

"This is a song Jasper hasn't written yet. He wrote, or will write it, later this week. It's a duet between him and me." Alice handed Jasper lyrics and the others the sheets for their various instruments. "Esme, could you play the second guitar?" Alice asked handing her a sheet of paper too. We all looked over the tune and memorised the notes and tune easily. It did sound like something Jasper would write. I sat at Bella's piano. Bella sat at the door, watching us all with sad eyes. Why sad? What evil thing could plague her beautiful eyes to that degree? But still she smiled, resting casually.

"One, two, three." Carlisle counted us in. The unfamiliar tune swept through the room, Alice danced around Jasper, who unknowingly oriented himself around her.

"I'm havin' me a partay." She sang, pulling a cute country accent.

"I don't think I can come."

"This ain't just any kind of partay."

"I think I'll stay at home."

"It's gonna be really, really hot."

"Startin' to sound good."

"I'm gonna put you on the spot."

"Well maybe I should."

"There will be lots of one on one."

"Guess I could be there."

"Come on and join the fun."

"What should I wear?"

They danced around each other, forgetting the rest of us were there. I looked at Bella, she was following Alice's movements with a huge smile on her face, but I could see the sadness again. I would have to ask Jasper about it, when he was less distracted. I wished I could hear her thoughts. I opened my mind, barely listening to the music anymore.

_Those two look perfect together. _Carlisle and Esme thought in unison, unaware they were doing so.

_Jasper and her are so happy. It's like when Rose and I met. Carlisle and Esme still need some shoving though._ Emmett.

I still heard nothing of Bella. When the song came to a close she stood up and excused herself, to go to the bathroom. However, Jasper looked at her and followed quickly.

We could all hear the conversation.

"Bella?"

"Jasper." Bella was breathing shakily, as if trying to calm herself.

"What's wrong? Why are you... sad?"

"Because I'm being ridiculous. I shouldn't feel sad. I should be elated. They've finally found a real family, after so many years of waiting."

"What?"

"Despite Alice's best assurances, I will have to leave," Esme grabbed Alice who was about to run to Bella. "It was unusual enough living with a human for two vampires, how can I ask it of seven? Especially with you being so young and Edward's heightened attraction? I will not ask Alice and Esme to choose between me, a freak, and you, the life they've been waiting for. I know you can all hear me, and I'm sorry." I watched through Jasper's eyes as Bella sank to the floor, wrapping her arms around her stomach. The phone rang then and Bella jumped up and ran off to grab it. Jasper re-entered looking confused.

"What?" Emmett asked. Esme seemed at a loss for words. Bella came back into the room looking pissed, but she still had the phone in her hand.

"It's Phil again." Bella handed the phone directly to Esme. Esme looked livid.

"Enough. I have asked you and asked you. Do not call me anymore."

_But it's not fair to leave such a beautiful woman on her own._

"I do not need your counsel. I do not need you. You are the one who has decided that I do."

_Esme. It's for the better. Don't ignore what we both feel._

I could see the phone beginning to bend with the force of her grasp. Carlisle stepped in and saved her then.

"Darling who is it? Come back to the kitchen, you haven't touched your food, and after last night, you should be hungry." Everyone, including Bella had to try and not laugh. Bella clamped her hands over her mouth and nose, the rest of us laughed in tones that humans couldn't hear.

_Who was that?_

Esme had to calm herself before talking again.

"My boyfriend. Now please leave me alone." She hung up the phone and Bella inhaled, before laughing so hard she had tears falling from her eyes. Alice and Emmett were laughing too. I was chuckling and Rosalie was rolling her eyes. Jasper was laughing harder than any of us, our emotions tripling his. Esme merely curtsied to Carlisle.

"My knight in shining armour."

"Does that make you the damsel in distress?"

"Let's wrestle and see who wins, shall we?"

"Tempting." Carlisle laughed.

"Carlisle and Esme sitting in a tree..." Emmett began singing. Both Esme and Carlisle flew at him, knocking instruments out of the way. They crashed through the wall and Bella fell backwards, into Alice's arms, still laughing. I couldn't help but laugh too. Bella's sadness was forgotten.

The day went by quickly. After the wall incident both Carlisle and Esme shook hands, dusting plaster off of themselves. Alice then took us down to the living room, blasting some random music. Bands I'd never heard of filled the room. Esme picked me up and threw me to Alice. Alice began dancing with me, the tango I think. Halfway through, I feigned dizziness, so I could take a break and watch them dance. Rosalie and Emmett looked wonderful together, twisting and swaying to the music so perfectly I took a blow to my self esteem by just watching. Alice and Jasper also danced, though they were more focused on each other, with a quiet buzz of words flowing from each of their lips; a conversation so fast that if I tried to keep up my head did get dizzy. Edward and Esme were dancing, but Edward looked uninterested at best, like the dancing was a formality that he had to endure.

"Feeling better?" Carlisle asked, holding out his hand for me to dance with him. He had that look on his face letting me know he didn't believe me.

"Much. But I still can't dance." I said, taking his hand and standing anyway.

"It's all in the leading." Carlisle promised, smiling as he spun me around, slowly, but so I didn't fall. "So how is your schooling going?"

"At school I'm fine, if only because I have no social life other than Alice, and plenty of time to study. Though I must admit; trigonometry isn't my thing."

"Nor mine. After centuries of practicing medicine I still cannot grasp it." He laughed. We continued dancing to another unfamiliar tune. "What exactly do you do for fun?"

"Oh. Well, if I'm not in hospital, I read."

"Hospital?"

"Alice and I fight sometimes, I fall a lot and I'm an accident magnet. It's my second home."

"Mine too." He laughed. "You really get injured that much?"

"Esme?" I called, she turned to look at us.

"Two hundred and fifty two hospital visits, in the time we've had her. Various reasons." She shook her head and muttered something that only the vampires caught. It made them smile whatever it was. I sighed.

"The doctors joke about putting you into a medically induced coma. They say it will be cheaper." Carlisle informed me.

"Oh very funny, Esme. Edward? Hit her for me would you?" Edward looked confused and appalled until he realised I was joking. I had to bite my tongue to stop from smiling. After the song ended, I forced Carlisle to dance with Esme, by squeezing his arm and nodding towards her. He picked up the hint but was still shy as he asked her to dance with him. I sat, wondering if I actually had had that many hospital visits.

"So what do you read?" Edward asked. I looked to my left to see him resting on the arm of the couch furthest away from me.

"Classics mostly. Austen, Wilde, Verne, Bronte... my favourites are in the library." I motioned towards an open door to the left of the room. Edward glanced at it briefly, before looking back at me.

"You were obviously born in the wrong era."

"I completely agree. Even the music from this era doesn't hold a candle to that of the others. The CGI in movies is pretty cool, but that's the only 'up' to the new millennium."

"Not even clothing and shopping malls?" he asked politely, though he sneered at the words.

"Do you think I dress like this willingly?" I motioned towards my outfit. "This is 100 Alice. Alice let me try on some of her older dresses when I was still small enough to fit into them. The corsets took a little getting used to, but I adore the fashions that herself and Carlisle grew up with. You're all a little too young to have worn them firsthand." I sighed. Edward stared at me with fascination, like I was a science experiment. The other dancers were still twirling away, Carlisle more comfortably spinning Esme as she smiled and sang along. As I saw him properly dancing I realised just how careful he was being with me.

"Soap bubble." I breathed.

"Sorry?" Edward asked.

"Me. Soap bubble, thin glass, overcooked pie crust. I crumble at the lightest touch from your kind." As I looked at him again I saw pain in his eyes, but he suppressed it.

"I don't quite think so. You may not be inhumanly strong or resilient, but two hundred and fifty two visits to the hospital may have strengthened you up a little."

"What doesn't kill you makes you stronger?" I quoted.

"Precisely." Edward took a deep breath, and stood, holding out his hand to me. I recoiled at first in shock; wasn't he supposed to be dangerous, to me especially? He waited calmly and I slowly lay my hand in his.

His skin was exactly what I was expecting; cold, hard, smooth. But the electricity that shocked me when I touched him I couldn't understand. It continued to buzz through my hand as he continued to hold it. He pulled me closer to him, but to a polite distance, not pressed up against each other like Emmett and Rosalie. As we spun I saw his eyes get wild with thirst and I held my breath. He shook it off, controlling himself, and smiled at my reaction.

"Breathe." He instructed. I did and immediately felt the rush of oxygen to my brain. Edward chuckled blackly. After the song he let go of me and left, his eyes wild again. I sat on the couch, impressed with his self control. Most of that day we spent talking. I nicknamed Emmett 'Grizzly Bear' he laughed hard because his favourite food was grizzly.

Edward never returned. I asked everyone if he was okay and they told me he had gone hunting again. By eight o'clock I could barely keep my eyes open. Alice whispered something to Jasper and before I knew what was happening, I was examining the insides of my eyelids with great intensity.

I was hunting. And I was thinking. And I was sulking. I was hunting because being around Bella made me thirsty. I was thinking because Bella said and did the strangest things. I was sulking because my horrible instincts wanted me to kill the beauty that was Bella. She had an odd way about her that made me unable to look away. She always seemed to be thinking and feeling on so many different levels. She was always so calm. Always so calm, whilst she stared out death.

And the fire, the electricity that ran through my body wherever we touched. It was maddening, almost painful, but so pleasurable. I knew Jasper could feel it, if he were paying attention. But he was much too focused on Alice.

I returned to the house, to find that they'd put Bella to bed. I could hear faint murmuring, incoherent mostly, but occasionally her voice would ring out clearly. She said 'It's too green' a few times and I wondered what she could possibly be thinking of. I wanted so badly to read her thoughts, and it infuriated me.

The night we spent playing pool. Esme showed us the games room, and we had fun playing darts blindfolded, pinball, air hockey and other silly human games that were just fun to lose ourselves in. At around seven Alice disappeared to wake Bella and get her ready for school. I was immediately curious and asked Carlisle's permission to attend the school for a day. He saw nothing strange about the request, but warned me to stay away from the sunlight.

"Edward. Do not be anywhere near a window between two and two sixteen. Other than that, there is no direct sunlight." Alice had warned me. Easy enough to remember. Very handy to have her around. I drove Bella to school, she kept her eyes firmly shut the entire five minutes.

"Do you have to go so fast?"

"I hate driving slowly. And I always drive like this."

"Well it scares me, and we're going to show up early." She complained.

"Of all the things that could scare you, you're afraid of my driving?"

"Yup."

By the time we'd finished the conversation, we were already at her school. She sat in the car. Not wanting to go out into the humidity, we both talked for a while, until we heard the bell ring. Alice showed up for school just as the bell rang, her hair was messy from running.

_I wanted to spend as much time as possible with Jasper._ She admitted.

I watched Bella all day, through the minds of others. I heard every conversation she had, which wasn't much; she didn't talk to many people, only one of them she actually seemed interested in talking to Angela Weber. She was an uncommonly kind person, who throughout the day never had an evil thought. Bella ended up sitting with her at lunch and the conversation went to childhood memories. I was allowed into the cafeteria, but I was waiting for Alice. It was then that Bella and Angela turned to each other and started a complex pat-a-cake pattern. They were moving ridiculously fast, for humans. Angela and Bella were staring each other down, not even looking at their hands. Never once did the pattern repeat itself, and it would've taken even a vampire a few tries to get it right.

"Concentration test." Alice said, looking at them. "Angela made it up and her and Bella do this every day. Angela is the closest thing Bella has to a friend. Oh, and watch out. Tyler is about to make a move." I stared at her in confusion and then looked over at Bella she pulled back her hand wincing as Angela smiled.

"Ha, I won." She chimed, making Bella laugh. Tyler sat down beside Bella at that point.

"Did you hurt yourself? I'm sure I could kiss it better, over dinner tonight." He leaned in towards her, resting his hand on her arm. She froze and turned towards him.

"Please take your hand off me. I don't want dinner with you Tyler. How many times do we have to go over this?"

"Until you finally agree."

Watching him made me angry. Hearing his thoughts made me furious. I had to restrain myself from attacking him at that point. I was unaware I had become so attached and protective of her, but now, as she sat, unaware of my presence, I realised just how fond of her I had grown. I needed to protect her, to help her. Bella turned to look around, to find Alice and spotted me first. She gave me a pleading look and I walked forward, acting on impulse.

"Bella, love!" I called. She looked confused at first but then brightened as she realised my plan.

"Edward! C'mere, I'd like you to meet my friends, Angela and Tyler."

"Who's he?" Tyler asked Angela. She winked at me.

"That's Bella's boyfriend, Tyler. His name is Edward, he lives out of town, but he visits every now and then. Bella is crazy about him and Edward about her." She lied smoothly. Bella hugged Angela.

"I owe you."

"I know." They whispered to each other. I continued walking until I was a foot away Bella stood beside me and, cringing slightly, hugged me. I knew that she was afraid she was crossing the line. I simply held my breath, smiled and ran my hand around her waist. It felt so natural, so good having her that close. The electricity shot through the places our bodies touched and a range of emotions I'd never felt before coursed through me. Tyler stalked off and Bella twisted carefully out of my hold, looking anxiously up at me. She had a slight blush and her heart rate had picked up, I could only assume it was from the near death experience.

As soon as we weren't touching pain shot through my chest. It was a physical longing. I wanted to hold her again, to feel her warmth. I inhaled and remembered exactly why that was dangerous. Her scent tore at my throat as thirst shot through me again. I sat, leaning away from Bella as she properly introduced me to her friend.

I sat at the lunch table when Angela dared me to a game of concentration. We hadn't played since yesterday and I never got tired of it, so we quickly began the long process. I was staring her down, and she was returning the stare. We were both waiting for Alice, but I knew she would probably be showing Edward around. Edward. He was amazing, even if he did want to kill me. That was the funny thing about vampires, no matter how irresistible they were, you had to remember, they were irresistible _because_ they were built to kill you. And boy was Edward irresistible. The thought of his perfect features made me lose focus and my finger bent backwards as I hit Angela's hand incorrectly.

"Ha, I won." She smiled and looked apologetic at the same time. I laughed and winced, rubbing my sore hand when Tyler came up behind me.

"Did you hurt yourself? I'm sure I could kiss it better, over dinner tonight." He leaned in towards me, resting his hand on my arm. His skin felt sweaty and too warm, his smile, which was supposed to be alluring, was sickening. I froze, took a deep breath and tried to contain my anger. This was the eighth time he had asked this.

"Please take your hand off me. I don't want dinner with you Tyler. How many times do we have to go over this?"

"Until you finally agree." I saw no way to get out of this I looked around desperately for Alice and found Edward and her standing in the corner of the cafeteria. He looked livid, while she looked amused. I wanted them to help, surely Edward could growl or something? He walked forward, composing his features.

"Bella, love!" hearing him call me that confused me, until I realised what he was doing; torturing Tyler mentally. Devious. "Edward! C'mere, I'd like you to meet my friends, Angela and Tyler."

"Who's he?" Tyler asked Angela. She winked at Edward.

"That's Bella's boyfriend, Tyler. His name is Edward, he lives out of town, but he visits every now and then. Bella is crazy about him and Edward about her." She lied smoothly. I hugged Angela.

"I owe you."

"I know." She whispered to me. Angela was always quick at thinking, and very diplomatic.

When Edward finally got to our table I took a deep breath and hugged him gently. I didn't have to worry about how hard I hugged him, more the fact that my skin was now very close to a vampire who wanted to kill me. But Edward surprised me. He wrapped his arm around my waist. I vaguely heard Tyler mumble something and stalk off, but I was trying to keep my breathing calm. My heart rate was skyrocketing. The strange electricity that I kept feeling flowed through our bodies, through his icy hand, through my arms around his waist. I gently pulled away before I became too much of a torment. The blushing didn't help either. I knew that that would push him over the edge, or close to it.

As soon as we weren't touching pain shot through my chest. It was a physical longing. I wanted to hold him again, to feel his marble skin. He sat down, leaning away from me and I breathed a sigh of relief.

"Angela this is Edward. Edward, Angela." I introduced and sat also. Angela held out her hand and Edward kissed it like a proper gentleman. It was obviously something one had to pick up in an earlier century.

"So, you've just become Bella's boyfriend for the lunch hour. Sorry about that. Good thinking though." Angela smiled at him. I laughed. Edward looked at me with a slight pain in his eyes, which I assumed was from the thirst. Alice came over then.

"Thanks for the rescue Alice." I spat.

"I thought Edward would make a more convincing argument. You don't really mind do you? By tomorrow the entire school will know that Bella Hale is unavailable. Tough luck ol' girl." Alice patted my shoulder. I snorted.

"It's not like anyone was interested anyway. Tyler excluded." I shrugged. It was Edward's turn to snort.

"Are you kidding me? There are four guys that won't stop looking at you. Not to mention the unavailable guys who are trying not to be attracted to you. In total you have about nine potential 'boyfriends'."

I could do nothing but look incredulous. He was lying surely. He looked at me with such transparent honesty that I had to believe him. He could also se inside their heads, making it more than the possibility of misreading body language. Angela stood up and slipped her arm around my shoulder.

"Told you so. It was nice meeting you Edward. See you later Alice." Angela left. And Alice sat in her spot.

"Oh Bella. Congratulations. You will be called down after school. They're going to offer to skip you a grade. You're at high nineties in all of your courses and they feel that perhaps you'd like to skip, for a challenge."

I dropped my head to the table, banging it gently. I heard Alice laugh and murmur something about overreaction.

"I don't want that kind of attention! It's easier to just be invisible. No unnecessary conversations, no unwanted glares, no nothing." I heard Edward chuckle at my statement. Suddenly Alice squeaked.

"Yes! I can't believe it! Oh my gosh! I have to thank Carlisle! Or I will!" She dashed off and I looked questioningly at Edward.

"She kept her mind blank, I have no idea."

"Well I have some idea. There are only a few things that would get Alice that excited. Jasper proposing to her, Carlisle proposing to Esme, her joining your band, or you staying to live with us."

"I doubt that."

"Want to bet on it?" I retorted. Edward looked at me sternly.

"Alright."

"If I win, you keep playing my boyfriend, to keep away the unwanted attention."

"And if I win?"

"I don't know. Pick a prize."

You. My brain automatically responded. I kicked myself mentally. I liked the idea of pretending to be her boyfriend, if only because it gave me an excuse to be near her. I also wanted to hear her sing again. Her voice was wonderful.

"Your voice. You have to sing for me, whenever I want you to." I said. I thought I sounded ridiculous, but she blushed and nodded.

"Deal."

The bell rang then and I escorted her to her next class, carrying her heavy (for her) bag. Two of the afore mentioned boys were in there, looking wistfully at Bella and angrily at me. So I took her hand and led her to her desk. Her heart picked up speed at my touch and the electricity was tingling up my arm as I led her gently to her seat. I placed her bag beside her.

"What are you doing?" she asked quietly through her teeth.

"Having fun." I replied and swiftly turned to leave. I came face to face with the teacher.

"Tell me, young man," wrong. I was older than his grandfather. "What are you doing in this class?"

"Admiring your piano forte. It's beautifully constructed, worth about twenty thousand. The embellishment on the stool and legs indicates that this was made specifically for somebody. Was it made for the school or bought randomly?" I asked. The teacher took a second to compose his thoughts.

"Made for the school. Tell me are you transferring here? Do you play?"

"I'm not sure, and yes."

"Would you care to play for us then Mr?"

"Cullen."

"Cullen then."

I sat down and turned to Bella. She was glaring at me. So I played one of her pieces. I knew she recognized it instantly, because she buried her face into her hands. When I finished the teacher and students looked at me baffled.


	3. Chapter 3

EPOV

EPOV

You. My brain automatically responded. I kicked myself mentally. I liked the idea of pretending to be her boyfriend, if only because it gave me an excuse to be near her. I also wanted to hear her sing again. Her voice was wonderful.

"Your voice. You have to sing for me, whenever I want you to." I said. I thought I sounded ridiculous, but she blushed and nodded.

"Deal."

The bell rang then and I escorted her to her next class, carrying her heavy (for her) bag. Two of the afore mentioned boys were in there, looking wistfully at Bella and angrily at me. So I took her hand and led her to her desk. Her heart picked up speed at my touch and the electricity was tingling up my arm as I led her gently to her seat. I placed her bag beside her.

"What are you doing?" she asked quietly through her teeth.

"Having fun." I replied and swiftly turned to leave. I came face to face with the teacher.

"Tell me, young man," wrong. I was older than his grandfather. "What are you doing in this class?"

"Admiring your piano forte. It's beautifully constructed, worth about twenty thousand. The embellishment on the stool and legs indicates that this was made specifically for somebody. Was it made for the school or bought randomly?" I asked. The teacher took a second to compose his thoughts.

"Made for the school. Tell me are you transferring here? Do you play?"

"I'm not sure, and yes."

"Would you care to play for us then Mr?"

"Cullen."

"Cullen then."

I sat down and turned to Bella. She was glaring at me. So I played one of her pieces. I knew she recognized it instantly, because she buried her face into her hands. When I finished the teacher and students looked at me baffled.

_I've never heard that piece before._

_He's hot._

_Bella is so lucky._

_He's a suck up. I bet I could take him._

_That was Bella's piece. I wonder how he memorised it so quickly. He's quite talented._ I recognised Angela's voice.

"Well done Mr. Cullen, did you write that?"

"No. A friend of mine did." I said. "Now, I must be leaving. I am sorry for interrupting." I stood and left, still seeing Bella glaring at me, through her hair, which was covering the majority of her face.

BPOV

He played my piece and left. Was he trying to embarrass me permanently? I hated attention, mostly because being in the spotlight did nothing for confidence, especially since I was a klutz. Now everyone would be watching me for a while. More people to see when I fell over. Great.

Music and Biology passed quickly. True to Alice's word, I was called down to the office at the end of the Biology period. I told the principle I would consider it and asked him to keep it quiet. However, because it was a secret, I had a feeling that the whole school would know, if not tomorrow then the day after.

On my way out of the office I saw Edward pressed up against a wall. At first I thought he was just standing there to see me, but I quickly realised that the sun was shining. He was hiding in the shadows. I walked over to him. He was trapped in a circle of sunlight. Edward literally couldn't move from the spot he was in.

"Alice warned you."

"I forgot." He spat back.

"What's the opposite of spotlight? That seems to be what you're standing in."

"Very funny."

"So Edward, did you like your first day at my school?" I ignored the electricity my body felt when I said his name.

"The teachers are all boring. One's a pedophile actually."

"What?"

"Kidding."

"Not funny Edward." I looked around. "Do you know how long you're stuck here?"

"Fifteen minutes." He sighed.

"Oh. Poor you. See you later." I turned.

"Wait!" he called. I paused and turned back. He seemed almost pained.

"Is it that hard for you to be trapped? For only fifteen minutes. You already look like you're being tortured." I asked softly. He did look uncomfortable.

"I don't like confinement." He admitted. I sat down in front of him and he slid down, bending his knees, to stay out of the sunlight. He rested his head on his knees as I sat beside him.

"I could teach you how to play concentration." I offered. He laughed and the sound made my breathing irregular. I calmed it again and he looked at me.

"You do that a lot."

"Do what?"

"Your breathing catches, or becomes scattered. Your heart rate picks up and slows down sporadically. Is it me?"

"You wish." I managed to retort, though I was glad I wasn't blushing. It was him, but I didn't need him to know that. "It's just your kind in general." I lied, well I had thought, but he smirked.

"So, you can sing, you can play the piano, you're wonderful at school, you're accident prone, is there anything else I should know about you?"

"Heaps. But I'm going to let you figure that out by yourself." I smiled. He scowled. I sat, partially in the sunlight that was trapping him, watching his topaz eyes watch me.

"What are you thinking?" he asked.

"Trigonometry." I answered, without thinking. I have a test tomorrow.

"Worried?" he asked.

"Excited actually." I admitted. "I like it when I'm able to work out the questions and get the answers however long the process is. It's kind of rewarding." Edward looked at me confusedly again.

"What?"

"Adults like that kind of reward, not teenagers. Teenagers are usually motivated by hormones, and the thrill of irresponsibility"

"Because you'd know this, you've been one for how long?"

"Very funny."

"We seem to be saying that a lot lately."

"We do."

As we sat there the sunlight began to fade, but then shone through again, pulsing, teasing. Edward sighed again.

"How come no one recognises you? Any of you? You don't exactly have the most inconspicuous haircuts, and those masks only cover so much. Yet no one seems to make the connection."

Edward smiled at me, thoughtfully. He mulled it over a little.

"A few people do almost guess. But since we rarely travel as the full group in public, no one really makes the connection. What do you mean, by the way, about my hair?"

"Oh nothing." I smiled. He stared at me, his eyes trying to lift the truth from my mind. Tyler came walking down the hall at that point.

"Bella?" I turned and grimaced, turning it into a smile at the last second.

"Hey Tyler."

"So, Edward... are you going to be in town much longer?"

"I'm not sure. Bella's slowly convincing me to make my stay longer. Give us some time together and what not." Edward replied smoothly. I blushed and stared very adamantly at my hands. The sunlight that had trapped Edward disappeared and he stood up, offering his hand to me. I took it and felt the electricity shoot through my fingers. He let go as soon as I was on my feet. The tingling vanished when we broke contact.

"Shall we go home Bella, love?" Edward asked politely. Although it was pretend, my heart fluttered whenever he called me that. His crooked smile flashed across his face, in response to my heart beat.

"You driving? Um, I'll see you later Tyler." He looked sad, thoughtful and slightly irritated. Edward's eyes flashed briefly with anger, but he composed himself and we walked to his car.

In five minutes we were home. I dumped all of my homework onto the table. Alice came flying in and picked me up, spinning me round and round and round, vampire speed. When she finally let go I fell to the ground. As I lay, my stomach heaved, and the room span almost as quickly as I had just been.

"Sorry Bella! I forgot!" Alice chimed and sat down beside me. My eyes told me she was still dancing around, but her hand on my shoulder told me otherwise. Carlisle was at my side next. After a few minutes I was feeling better. He was rubbing soft circles into my back and I kept my eyes closed. He talked to me softly, telling me to breathe deeply. Esme came and sat with us. Edward followed suit. Rosalie, Emmett and Jasper walked in and wondered why we were all sitting on the floor.

"Carlisle has something to tell, or ask you all." Alice squeaked quickly.

"Only Carlisle and Alice know so far. I have guesses and a bet running, so please make it worth my while." I muttered.

"You bet? On what? With who? Why wasn't I invited?" Emmett asked quickly. I opened my eyes and everyone stayed where they were supposed to. I looked expectantly at Carlisle.

EPOV

Bella stared at Carlisle, her face still slightly pale.

"I have decided to stay here for a while. A long while, to get to know this strange coven and its enticing members more carefully. I do not force you to stay with me, but I would like it if you did."

Bella looked smugly at me. That was a bet I had lost, and won in so many ways because of it.

"I'll stay. There's no reason to break up now, besides that. I kind of like it here." _And I think I'm in love with Alice._ Jasper added silently. Carlisle smiled and held out his fist. Jasper punched it.

"I'll stick around. I want to try pranking with Alice's help. It could be interesting." Emmett laughed, also bashing Carlisle's fist. His thoughts were exactly matched to his words. I never felt intrusive when reading Emmett's mind. He always spoke what he thought, or it was so obvious he needn't bother.

_I still don't see what's so interesting here. If Emmett wants to stay, I suppose I should too. I am not happy with this Edward. Yes I know you're listening. I do not want to stay, especially not with that human around. She's far too calm around us for her own good._ Rosalie looked pointedly at me, but tapped her fist onto Carlisle's anyway. I had to restrain a growl. I sighed and placed my hand onto Carlisle's also. I would have to hunt more frequently if I had any chance of staying near Bella for an extended period of time. I would also have to put up with the impure thoughts and noises of three couples now instead of one, although I had a feeling that at least Esme and Carlisle would be more mature, when they finally got together.

"Great!" Alice squeaked. She bounced all the way around the kitchen, making Jasper laugh and jumped onto Emmett's back. "You and I will have some fun my brother."

Flashes of various pranks and their outcomes flowed from the both of them. Carlisle and Esme went to enrol us in Bella's school. Rosalie stalked off to find a room she liked. I sighed and decided to leaf through Bella's homework. It was all easy, ridiculously so for a vampire with four medical degrees, but Bella would be working on it for a while.

I sat, watching her work, later in the evening. The others had found rooms and were moving their things around. Bella would mumble to herself, completely unaware of the fact she was doing so. When she finished her trigonometry homework she moved on to English and visibly relaxed. With her head resting on the table she wrote with astonishing speed.

I watched her until Esme broke my concentration.

"Peaceful isn't she?" I nodded. I had been watching her from the garden, far away from her view.

"Make yourself useful. Offer to proofread. Alice would do it, but her and Jasper are hunting somewhere."

"That's cheating."

"Not if you tell her there are mistakes, but don't tell her where they are. Now go. I have to start dinner soon. Or I could just order in..." Esme wandered around to the other side of the house. I walked into the kitchen. Bella's eyes acknowledged my presence, although the rest of her barely moved. Her hand still flew across the page.

"Want me to check anything? I've heard that's the way things are done around here." I felt silly, as I asked, but a faint blush crept onto her cheeks as she looked towards her trig pile. I sat and flipped through her book. All of her pages were extremely neat, dated, organised, easy to understand. I found the sheet she had been working on earlier and began skimming through the formulas. She was watching me, I could see it in my peripheral vision. My eyes darted to her face and locked with hers. She blushed and looked back to what she was writing. I half smiled. It was so easy to make her blush. There was only one mistake and it was simply an error of copying, not calculation. I let my finger rest on it as I lowered the book to the table. She looked at my finger and I quickly moved it.

"There's an error in there."

"Hmm. I wonder where it could be." She asked sarcastically. She took the book from me, looking immediately to the spot I had pointed out. When she fixed it she closed the book and I took the page she was writing from.

"What are you doing?"

"English. It's an essay. On a book called Blood and Chocolate. It's..." she broke off smiling. I raised one eyebrow.

"It's what?"

"It's kind of a love story. There's a girl, who's a werewolf and she falls in love with a regular human boy. Society and rules and everything is against them, but they manage it anyway."

"Sounds almost clichéd."

"Kinda. But I still liked it."

I read over the paragraphs amazed at how easily her words fit together. Her writing style belonged in an earlier decade. Was that because she had been raised by Alice and Esme, or because she had grown up reading the greatest works of literature? Esme came in after, placing a Subway on the table.

"Your favourite." _Food is disgusting._

"I agree Esme." I muttered. Bella unwrapped the meal and broke off small pieces with her fingers, ingesting chicken, lettuce, bread, cheese. I was unaware of the revolted look that had flashed across my face until Bella scolded me.

"Hey. I crave food. You crave me. So in effect, you crave food. So stop grimacing. It's unbecoming." She smiled. That didn't make sense. Not to me anyway. I stayed silent, watching her eat with a silent fascination.

"Dare ya." She said, holding out a piece of lettuce. I leaned backwards. "Oh come on. You are my _boyfriend_ after all."

Suddenly everyone was around us, Alice looking shocked, surprised and hopeful. Rose looked disgusted, Emmett looked confused, as did Jasper, Carlisle and Esme.

_Edward? What did she say?_ Carlisle. I pressed my hands to my temples, sighing.

"Now you've done it Bella. They'll never believe me."

"Edward and I made a bet remember? If he lost he had to _pretend_ to be my boyfriend, to keep away all the jerks who actually want to be my boyfriend. Well he lost." Bella barely looked interested in the conversation, still eating her dinner.

_I felt something else though. Especially when she said boyfriend. Was it a flash of 'pride' Edward? You're proud to be her fake boyfriend? Maybe they'll be another couple in this family._ Jasper was teasing, yet his face remained impassively bored, while looking casually at Bella's homework. I growled.

"No fair! Edward is having a yelling match and I don't even know with who!" Emmett sighed.

"That's it. I am really starting to need my own space now guys. Vampires are nosy enough don't you think?" Bella was cowering, surrounded by nearly everyone. She ducked under the table, and looked around frantically for an escape of some sort.

"Alice." I could see the effort she was putting behind the words, like she was regretting saying them as soon as she thought about them. "Remember my birthday present?"

_Flashes of clothing. A pass to a club of some sort. _Images of her presents filled my head via Alice. _Oh! Of course. That would be so much fun! Bella is a genius._

"You want to?"

"Not tonight, but yes."

"Eeek!" Alice squeaked and grabbed Rosalie, Jasper and Esme, pulling them towards the front door. "We have to go shopping! Emmett, Carlisle you coming?"

"What about me?" I asked.

"Babysit." Alice told me pushing me back into my chair. I heard all of the others laughing as they disappeared. Bella sighed and threw herself onto the floor.

BPOV

It was the only thing I could think of. I hated dances, and clubbing, but unless I did something, I would be completely smothered by vampires.

"Seven is just far too big a number." I murmured. I heard Edward chuckle from behind me. I glared at him.

"Would you care to explain exactly what you just did?"

"I got everyone away from me, made Alice happy and now we're all going clubbing tomorrow night. Easy." I stood up, remembering my dinner and almost finished homework. Edward watched me as I ate and wrote. It was slightly disconcerting.

"What are you thinking?" I asked him. He laughed.

"I was thinking about asking you what you were thinking, actually." He smiled. I went over that a few times. I looked at his calm expression and wondered why he was smiling. I stood up and decided that I wanted to watch a movie. Edward sat and watched with me, although I had the strongest suspicion that he was watching me more than the movie. When I finally turned in, the others still hadn't come home yet and I wondered just how many stores they were bombarding. As I settled down to sleep I heard a beautiful piano piece floating through the walls. Edward was playing. I concentrated on the tune as I fell asleep. It seemed familiar somehow, but I was sure I'd never heard it.

I woke at two in the morning. I wasn't completely awake; my eyes were still closed, my breathing was still calm and I hadn't moved, yet I was aware of everything in the room. I soon realised what had woken me. Edward was having a fast conversation with Jasper, in my room.

"You really think so?"

"Alice is fond of you. Surely you've felt it."

"She's always so filled with love and energy, I can't separate it."

"Wait until she's looking at you, only you, close your eyes and feel. There's a difference. Believe me."

"What do you think about Carlisle and Esme? Man their fireworks are going fast as lighting, but neither of them have budged. We need to do something."

"Don't worry. Alice and Emmett have got it covered."

Jasper chuckled at Edward's assurances.

"And what about you?"

"What about me?"

They went quiet for a small amount of time and I could only assume that Edward was reading Jasper's mind. I heard a quick laugh.

"Honestly Jasper! Don't be ridiculous."

"I'm not. You are." Then I heard my door open and close. Jasper must've left because I heard Edward's voice again.

"I can't be." The next second, his breathing was awfully close to my ear. The cool air fluttered across my jaw and raised goosebumps. I didn't move. He stayed there, so close, so patient, for a while, until he stood and went to my door. He leaned carefully against the frame; I could hear it squeak. He sighed and left. I could no longer hear his breathing. I lay perfectly still for a few more moments, then opened my eyes. No one was there. Could it have been a dream?

EPOV

She went to bed as I started playing. It was a simple piece, inspired by Bella herself. The notes flew from my fingers as I sat, inhaling her scent. The piece was as beautiful as she was, and sad, like the sadness she felt. Being the outsider was difficult. I knew that, from my time surrounded by humans. I sat, perfecting the piece until late into the morning when the others finally arrived home.

"Yay. You didn't kill her!" Alice chimed.

"Thanks." I spat bitterly.

"Kidding, brother dear." Alice hugged me. Had it been anyone else less charming and caring, her calling me her brother would've annoyed me. They showed me their purchases, including what they had bought for myself and Bella. Carlisle and Esme were talking downstairs, both sitting at the kitchen table. Rosalie and Alice were rifling through closest of clothing. Jasper and Emmett were wrestling, outside.

I heard Bella softly chuckle and went to her room. She was lying completely motionless, other than the steady beating of her heart and the slow rise and fall of her chest. Her curly hair tumbled around her pale face. I stood beside her watching, thinking.

"Damn. I hate clubs." Bella whispered and I smiled. She was quite a unique character. I wondered if I'd ever truly understand her. I stood watching her until I heard Jasper come in behind me.

"You really are messed up."

"Excuse me?"

"You're stalking her. Or are you planning to kill her? I would've thought Alice would stop that."

"Alice is too preoccupied with you."

"You really think so?"

"Alice is fond of you. Surely you've felt it."

"She's always so filled with love and energy, I can't separate it."

"Wait until she's looking at you, only you, close your eyes and feel. There's a difference. Believe me."

"What do you think about Carlisle and Esme? Man their fireworks are going fast as lighting, but neither of them have budged. We need to do something."

"Don't worry. Alice and Emmett have got it covered." I remembered the plans involving a tall building and a faulty elevator. Jasper started imagining hundreds of scenarios; including tying the two of them together.

"And what about you?"

"What about me?"

_You're falling in love with your food. Isabella. _

"Honestly Jasper! Don't be ridiculous."

"I'm not. You are." Jasper smiled at me, tapping his heart and saluting me as he left.

_What would be so bad about loving her anyway? She's beautiful, and she is admittedly a part of our new strange coven. You're already falling head over heels..._

Jasper went and resumed wrestling.

"I can't be." I was just intrigued by her. That was all. Besides, it was dangerous to have me so near her. I stayed, watching her peaceful face, and then moved away. Her blood was far too tempting. I left, going to join the wrestling match outside.

BPOV

School got interesting. Everyone was terrified of Emmett, intimidated by Rosalie, unsettled by Jasper and they were the talk of the school. Alice always sat with them. I switched, between sitting with Alice and the Cullens to sitting with Angela and her friends. Edward noticed this, and always kept an eye on me when I wasn't sitting with them. He told me it was because three of the people I sat with had huge crushes on me. Surrounded by five boys and three girls I couldn't help but wonder which. That, Edward wouldn't tell me. Fortunately, nobody made any more moves. If only because Edward would come over, letting his hand rest on my neck or on the small of my back. Gentle touches that to us meant nothing, but it helped keep up the pretence of him being my boyfriend.

I wouldn't tell him that those gentle touches made my day worth living. It sounded dramatic, but it was true. I waited for the moments when Edward would simply smile at me, rest his hand on my shoulder, my back, my hand. A lot of the time we were together we talked. Edward told me about his many years, stories of Emmett's bluntness, Rosalie's tenacity, Carlisle's medical marvels. He told me about his years at university, night courses, naturally, and the odd professors he had met.

I told him about every detail of my life. From stupidly embarrassing stories, to puzzles I'd solved, situations I'd gotten into and out of. I told him about nearly all of my major accidents, showing the scars for most of them.

"You think I'd ridden into battle or something."

"I am going to have to keep my eye on you."

"Well, it's been a while since I've done any serious sports, so I should be okay."

"I hope so." Edward always seemed so troubled when I showed him my old injuries. It was like he was wishing he had been there to save me. My own personal Superman.

Christmas break came and we were soon trapped in the house because of snow. Emmett and the others immediately went into a few huge rounds of snowball fights. I stayed indoors, enjoying watching them. The phone rang, it was for Carlisle, from the hospital, so I made the mistake of going outside to get him.

Emmett had thrown a snowball, except he'd packed it so tightly that it was an ice ball. He had thrown it very hard. I threw the phone to Carlisle and he ducked to catch it. The snowball, intended for Carlisle had flown straight over him and whacked me instead.

I could only feel the breath being pounded out of my lungs, and being caught before I hit the snow. Edward had caught me. His face was over mine, his sweet breath not helping my concentration as I tried to get air back into my lungs. For some reason I couldn't inhale. I was trying, but pain kept stopping me. As I began to lose consciousness, I felt a pair of cold lips on mine, and a painful amount of air was forced into my lungs. I cried out, into the mouth of the person trying to save me. They pulled back quickly. It was Edward, and my cry of pain had filled his mouth with my scent.

His eyes looked dangerously excited but he persisted. He kept breathing for me, because my lungs didn't want to inhale on their own. I vaguely remembered being carried to the hospital. They put a plastic tube in my mouth and supplied me with oxygen that way. I didn't like that. The air tasted much better coming from Edward.

My thoughts were of random things; snowballs, books, school, Santa Claus even crossed my mind. I was pretty sure they had given me some medication of some sort. There was no way I could be in no pain. I tried to wrap my head around the events, but it wasn't working.

So instead I drifted into unconsciousness.


	4. Chapter 4

EPOV

EPOV

She was answering the phone when Emmett and Jasper teamed up on Carlisle. Carlisle managed to hit both of them with snowballs, but all of theirs had missed him. I was stuck in between Alice and Rosalie, who were throwing the hardest snowballs I'd ever felt. Esme was biding her time making a huge snowman. It was taller than Emmett and its three sections were perfectly smooth, making it look professionally carved.

Bella had walked out to give Carlisle the phone when I heard Alice gasp and turn around to face Bella. She started to run towards her and I realised why. One of Emmett's snowballs was flying over Carlisle's head, about to hit Bella. Alice got there a second too late. Bella crumpled to the ground. I was beside her a second later, holding her before her head smacked the ground. She hadn't inhaled again and I could see the pain in her face as she tried to. Carlisle was there too, having dropped the phone. His hands were running up and down her ribs.

_Two broken, one fractured, there could be micro-fractures, but she'd have to be scanned._

Bella hadn't inhaled yet, it had been nearly a minute, while Carlisle tried to gently diagnose her injuries. Emmett was apologizing to Bella, to everyone, but I honestly doubted she could hear him. Her face started to turn slightly blue and I realised she still hadn't gotten any oxygen. I leaned forward, pushing as much oxygen as I could into her body. She cried out in pain back into my mouth and the monster inside of me took hold.

Her scent filled my mouth and my teeth coated with venom faster than I would've thought possible. My throat burned like it never had before, not even when I was a newborn. But there was another side of me, one filled with fear, fear of Bella being in pain, fear that I was the one causing it, fear that I might lose control, hurting her. That fear fuelled me, cleared my head. I bent over to give her another rush of air and I could see the pain again. One of her ribs was pushing into her lung, not quite puncturing it, but damn close, damn painful. I kept breathing for her as I carried her to Esme's car. Carlisle, Esme and myself got in, driving swiftly to the hospital. As soon as I had her on a stretcher they put a plastic tube and bottle in her mouth, squeezing the bottle to administer the oxygen instead. They injected her with morphine and ran the scans.

I waited impatiently with Esme as Carlisle and the staff treated her. I could watch through their heads, but as much as I wanted to let Esme know what was happening, it hurt _me_ to see Bella in so much pain, and I had no idea why.

_She'll be fine. Up and... well not running... walking in a few weeks. _Alice.

I looked around to find her and saw all of the others, waiting. Emmett looked so ashamed it wasn't funny. He looked worse than I'd ever seen him. Worse than the time when he came home, having drunk from a human. He'd spent days alone, not even Rose could console him. Now he looked more guilty than ever. Rosalie, although she appeared pissed off, was actually slightly concerned. Alice looked sad, but unworried, as she'd seen the outcome. Esme was a nervous wreck. Jasper had to finally hug her, using his full influence, before she calmed down. Jasper was trying to keep everyone calm. He was staring at me with the strangest expression, but he wouldn't tell me why.

"What Jasper?"

_Nothing. You're just surprising me is all._

"How so?"

_You're feeling... well scared. More scared than I've ever felt you before. You must really like her._

"I'm just concerned."

_No. When Emmett got attacked by that bear, he was concerned. You... you're a complete mess. Pure fear is running through you. It is so weird._

"Enough." I sat down trying to calm myself.

I was barely aware of time passing. Alice, Jasper, Rosalie and Esme had all left, feeling reassured by Alice's predictions. Emmett and I stayed. Emmett through guilt, and I... because I couldn't imagine a place I'd rather be. I sat, consoling Emmett and he surprised me.

"It's not really your fault Emmett."

"Ya. But still. She's my baby sister now. Um, don't tell Rose I said that though. I think she'd kill me."

"You consider her family?"

"I like all of 'em. Esme's like a mom, even though I think I'm older than her. Alice is the coolest sister ever. Bella is Alice's sister, so she's my sister. Besides, there's something about her, ya know? She's nice to be around. Funny, too, all her human klutziness. She's great. And I know you like her, so I just feel extra-extra-bad."

"I don't like her." I snapped. Emmett looked at me with an obvious expression; 'Sure ya don't'.

_Oh I believe you._ His thoughts chimed, loaded with sarcasm.

Nurses came in and out, most asking if I ever slept. I told them I kept having power naps. Emmett at least had the sense to pretend he was asleep. I stayed out of his mind when he was pretending to be asleep, I could only take so many images of Rosalie in my mind. The morphine began to wear off and sweat began collecting on her forehead. I stood beside her, letting my cool hand rest on her head. Unknowingly I began to hum her lullaby. Emmett 'woke up' then, staring at me.

"You'll have to up the volume if you want her to hear that." I looked over to him.

"What?"

"You're humming something. It's pretty. It kinda reminds me of Bella. Did you write it for her?"

I nodded and did as he said, humming louder, so that humans could hear it. Bella smiled softly, still asleep.

My phone vibrated in my pocket and I used my free hand to answer it.

"What?"

"You really shouldn't answer your phone like that. It's rude."

"Hello Alice."

"She'll wake within the hour. We're on our way." The phone went dead and I moved away from her, sitting beside Emmett.

BPOV

The first thing I said when I woke up ashamed me.

"Where'd Santa go?" I'd been having the oddest dream. Santa Claus was throwing snowballs at me. There was a beautiful tune being hummed to me also, from someone standing behind me, but I couldn't turn around for some reason.

I heard chuckling and saw Alice appear over me.

"What did you just say?"

"Um. Never mind. Weird dream." I tried to sit up and she held me down.

"Nuh-uh. Stay. Or intense pain. Pick." I decided not to risk it. I wasn't much of a masochist.

"Bella. I'm so so so so so so so so so so sorry." I heard Emmett's voice.

"Give or take a few so's. Could you help me sit up? I want to see everyone." Alice and Edward picked me up gently and propped me against the pillows. It hurt, but I was okay. "Two fifty three?" I asked. Alice nodded.

"We should check if there's a world record for hospital visits. I think you could easily break it."

"Very funny. I'm in stitches."

"Bella..." Emmett started again.

"Get over here." I held out my hand, he stood and came over. I took his hand and kissed the back. "You're forgiven. In fact I commend you. A snowball powerful enough to do this is a pretty good snowball."

"Awesome. I still feel bad though." I let go of his hand and closed my eyes, trying to ignore the pain, caused by my sitting up.

"Mom?"

"Yes Bella?"

"Will I be out in time for Christmas?"

"Yes. So Alice tells us. Though no more snowball fights." Esme held my hand. I started laughing and crying at the same time. Laughing hurt. A lot.

"Sorry Bella." Esme looked guilty as I opened my eyes again.

"For what? Making me laugh? What a stupid thing to be sorry for." I sat, looking around the room at all of the forlorn expressions. My eyes rested on Edward and I remembered what he had done.

"Edward?" he moved forward at the sound of his name. Standing close to me, he looked into my eyes, with an untold amount of emotions in his ochre eyes. I picked up his hand, feeling the electricity tingling through us. I kissed the inside of his wrist. It was a more personal kiss than Emmett's had been. His had been a brief peck on the knuckles. This kiss, however, meant something. I was in his debt. He had fought his nature to keep me alive. He could've easily snapped at any time, or not have thought to give my air at all. It was his doing that kept me alive. I kept holding his hand as I rested my head against the pillow again. I was in a lot more pain now. I could feel my breathing coming a little heavier and suddenly Alice left. She returned with Carlisle who inserted a needle into my IV tube. My head instantly began to swirl.

"Don't wait around guys. I'm gonna stay out for a while." I didn't know if they had heard me, or understood me, but I floated off before they could answer.

As she woke her brow furrowed.

EPOV

"Where'd Santa go?" We all chuckled, only imagining the dreams she could've been happening. Alice moved beside her.

"What did you just say?"

"Um. Never mind. Weird dream." Bella blushed a little and tried to sit up. Alice placed a restraining hand on her shoulder.

"Nuh-uh. Stay. Or intense pain. Pick."

Bella frowned again, and relaxed instead, I could see her breathing appeared laboured.

"Bella. I'm so so so so so so so so so so sorry." Emmett mumbled.

"Give or take a few so's. Could you help me sit up? I want to see everyone."

_Edward help me. _Alice. We managed to move her, so that she was sitting up, peacefully.

"Two fifty three?" She asked. Alice nodded.

"We should check if there's a world record for hospital visits. I think you could easily break it."

"Very funny. I'm in stitches."

"Bella..." Emmett started again.

"Get over here." She held out her hand, almost condescendingly, and her eyes narrowed slightly with a suppressed wince, probably from the pain the action caused. Emmett took it and she pulled him forward a little, kissing his knuckles gently. I heard a low growl come from Rosalie and Jasper had to calm her a little more. "You're forgiven. In fact I commend you. A snowball powerful enough to do this is a pretty good snowball."

"Awesome. I still feel bad though." _My snowballs rock! Uh, and suck. _

She let go of his hand, and closed her eyes. Her breathing was heavier and her face was pale. She was obviously in pain, but trying to be brave about it.

"Mom?"

"Yes Bella?"

"Will I be out in time for Christmas?"

"Yes. So Alice tells us. Though no more snowball fights." _We should call Carlisle in. _

Bella started laughing and I immediately saw tears begin to well up in her eyes. Her jaw clenched and she began to bite her lip, through the harsh laugh.

"Sorry Bella."

"For what? Making me laugh? What a stupid thing to be sorry for." I tried not to smile. She seemed to make me do that a lot. She looked around the room, blushing slightly at the attention. Her eyes locked with mine and she called me forward. I stood close, looking into her eyes, trying to see how much pain she was really in. Her dark brown eyes gave nothing away, in fact, she looked calm. I ached to try and help her, to hold her until she felt better. She picked up my hand and the electricity began tingling through me. She kissed the inside of my wrist, her warm lips leaving a patch of heat there. It felt wonderful, the warmth, her pulse against my cool skin. I instantly felt gratification at the fact I had not killed her, I had not given in. I doubted I could have ever harmed her in any way again. To see the thanks in her eyes, feel the happiness rolling off of her. I wasn't Jasper, but I could tell she was happy, if in pain. She lay back against the pillow, keeping my hand in hers. I honestly didn't mind it, in fact I wanted to be touching her.

Bella's breathing got slightly heavier and more strained and I turned my eyes towards Alice. She understood and went to grab Carlisle.

"Don't wait around guys. I'm gonna stay out for a while."

Her words were slurred, but her intentions were clear. She hadn't let go of my hand and I didn't mind at all.

"Edward?" Jasper asked. I looked at him calmly. All of my family, old and new, were looking at our joined hands. If I could've blushed...

"Oh my goodness." Alice sighed as her face went blank. I searched her thoughts, but all I saw was heaps and heaps of lingerie. Uninterested and slightly scared I backed off.

_You're falling in love with your food Edward. Disgusting._ Rosalie. It was identical to the phrase Jasper had used, but when he said it, he spoke with irony. She spoke with hate. I knew what motivated her hate; fear of discovery, jealousy and an aversion to sudden change. The new family members were a large enough change, without accepting a human also. Despite understanding her, I still did not like her thoughts towards Bella.

_So that means we're all coupled up now? Cool._ Emmett.

_Edward you've really changed since meeting her. You laugh, you smile, you joke, you take interest in the world around you. Something in your demeanour has altered also. It's refreshing, and it pleases me much that you have found someone you can really talk to, even if you don't intend to take it further. _Carlisle.

_Bella will be dead bored in here. Perhaps you could keep her company? _Esme.

_Wow. I don't think I've ever felt you like this. Usually you're moping. Occasionally you're excited, rarely happy, but now...wow. _Jasper.

"Now that you're all done criticizing me, can someone find me a book or something? I seem to be stuck." I motioned towards my hand. Bella was gripping my hand, with probably all the strength she could muster. I could easily remove my hand, but clearly she needed someone there. They laughed as they left. Alice promised to bring me a challenge.

"No Sudoku. I am sick and tired of the numbers one to nine."

As I sat watching her, I listened casually to the thoughts of everyone in the hospital. Hearing nothing interesting I focused on Bella again. She looked slightly worried, so I began to hum her lullaby.

BPOV

My dreams were strange and fragmented. Most involved snowballs, but the ones I remembered clearly had Edward in them. We were dancing, just as we had done in the club, except the music playing wasn't any tune I'd heard. It was oddly familiar and quite beautiful.

My stomach woke me. My first sight was Edward laughing quietly at me. He had a book with no words on the pages and a small sheet of paper with a bunch of dots on it. It took a few seconds for me to realise he was reading a book printed in Braille and that the paper showed the alphabet. The book was resting on his knees and he was using his free hand to read and turn pages. I let go of his cool hand.

"Sorry."

"It's alright. I was comfortable." He smiled at me. "You're hungry though. Want me to grab you something?" My stomach growled again and I moaned.

"Not hospital food. Hospital food sucks. It's as bad as eating garbage. In fact, I think that's what they make it with."

"How about an irritated grizzly?"

"Tempting. But I don't think the other patients would quite understand if we were to share that meal in here."

"True." Edward stood up and placed his hand on my forehead, feeling my temperature, or cooling me down, I couldn't tell. All I knew, was that it felt good, I closed my eyes, enjoying the cool and warm contrast of my skin against his. His hand lifted and I opened my eyes to an empty room. Carlisle came in shortly after.

"Good morning Bella."

"Morning Carlisle?" I looked to the window, it was pitch black outside.

"Two in the morning. You slept for an entire day."

"Ouch, that cannot be good for me."

"On the contrary, your ribs have been healing fantastically."

"How's Emmett?"

"Let me get this straight..." a voice interrupted from behind Carlisle.

"Hello Alice."

"Hello. You are the one who ended up in the hospital and you're worried about the man who put you there?"

"He looked so guilty earlier."

"Emmett's fine."

"Has he made a snowball since?"

Alice grimaced.

"Thought so. Send him here next chance you get. I'm going to make him feel better, no matter what." Alice hugged Carlisle and I saw her lips move the smallest amount. She was talking to him about something. I hated being human sometimes. In the next second Edward came back with a McDonald's bag. I absolutely hated junk food, but I wolfed it down faster than I'd ever eaten before.

"Thanks Edward." I sat myself further up on the pillows and winced at the effort. "I owe you six bucks."

"Consider it my treat." He laughed. Carlisle, Alice and Edward stayed with me for an hour, talking, but then Carlisle was called away.

"Braille?" I asked, staring at the book, now perched on the edge of my bed.

"It's a language I never learned. I don't need the guide anymore, I know the letters, but still, it's unusual to read without using vision."

"What are you reading anyway?"

"Othello."

"Read it to me, please?"

"That could take hours."

"Because I have such a full schedule." I retorted. He smirked and nodded, flipping back to the beginning of the book.

I was so bored in hospital that I began writing my own songs, with Edward's help. Not only piano pieces, but pop songs. Things that the band could use. I only tried sleepwalking once and Edward managed to restrain me before I seriously injured myself. On one of the days when Edward was grabbing me some real food, I wrote down the song I had heard playing in my dreams repeatedly. When Edward came in he saw what I was writing and ducked his head, smiling slightly, embarrassed.

"What? Do you know this song? I've been hearing it in my dreams, I can't figure out where from."

"I've never hummed that to you while you were awake. Not all of it anyway."

"You wrote it?"

"For... Yes."

"For?"

"Nothing."

"Edward!" I complained. He sat, running his hand through his hair.

"For you." He mumbled. I blushed. We spent a great deal of time together, and I eventually made Emmett feel less guilty about hitting me with a snowball, if only because I pranked him badly. Alice had helped set it all up, and Rosalie helped. The look on Emmett's face was priceless.

"The only reason I'm helping _you_ is because I want my non-depressed husband back. Got it?" Rosalie had snapped. I rolled my eyes.

"Guys, he's coming." Alice had warned us and sat, pretending to be nervous. Emmett had walked in, doubling back at the fact that Rosalie and I were holding hands. I slid my other hand to her face and she smiled back at me.

"Emmett, we have something to tell you. We can't hide it anymore." I had managed to say, without laughing or blushing. Edward was having a harder time not laughing, but he managed also.

"Emmett." Rose looked really pained and convincing. "I'm in love with Bella. I can't deny it anymore. I just, we didn't know how to tell you."

Emmett's face went through a hundred different emotions, before he started making strangled attempts at speaking. Rosalie cracked first, laughing hard. Edward, Alice and I followed. Rosalie and I stopped touching as soon as we were laughing. Emmett immediately realised what was happening and searched for the culprit. He turned to Alice, but she pointed straight at me.

"What?"

"You caused me physical pain, I just sent you through emotional pain. We're even." I informed him. A subtle respect filled his eyes, before he swept Rose into a big hug. They kissed passionately and I pretended to have a heart attack. It was so fake and overdone that everyone started laughing again. It still hurt to laugh, but it also felt good. Emmett soon began planning his revenge, or so I was told, by Edward.

I had an interesting conversation with Edward, a few days before I was let out.

"You know you didn't have to do all of this." I said. He looked at me, startled and looked around at the thousand piece puzzle we were trying to construct.

"You want to do it on your own?"

"No I didn't mean the puzzle. I meant everything. Staying with me. You're only my pretend boyfriend at school. You didn't have to waste your time with me here. I know how you hate confinement and being trapped in this room with me must suck." I mumbled. He surprised me by placing a cool hand under my chin. He lifted my face, so that his was inches from mine.

"Isabella. I actually enjoy spending time with you. I enjoy coming to see you, to talk to you, to make you blush, to hear you complain about being bed-ridden. I haven't wasted a single minute of my time since I agreed to that ridiculous bet." He paused letting that sink in, before he continued again. "It doesn't feel like confinement in here. I'm sure it would if I was alone, but I'm not. Now would you like left or right?"

He broke away from me and I remembered how to breathe again. It took every ounce of self control I had not to cry. His words were beautiful, his eyes were so sincere.

"What?" I asked, remembering his odd question.

"Left or right?" he pointed to the puzzle we had finished the edging to.

"Left I suppose." It took us nearly two hours to complete the puzzle, but once we had it looked fantastic. It was a picturesque scene, a sunset over a lake, with a forest edging around the outside of the lake.

Despite winning the bet, I would sing if he asked me to. Nursery rhymes I'd learned from Esme, simple songs mostly, but every song seemed to absorb all of his attention. By the end of the three weeks I was hopelessly in love with Edward Cullen.


	5. Chapter 5

EPOV

EPOV

Bella was so much fun to be around. I brought ridiculous things to keep her busy but she loved it so much. From books; classics to poetry, movies on a portable DVD player; old and new, to games, puzzles, music, word and math problems, she had fun with them. She talked, sang occasionally, complained a lot, always making me laugh. I noticed that small contact with her made her blush. It became a lot easier to be around her, as if I had somehow desensitized myself. Her blushes used to send scorching thirst through my throat, but now all it did was make me smile.

It was as if I were seeing the world from a completely different point of view. And I was. Everything I saw, I saw through Bella. She would look at boring things like flies stuck in lights and wonder why they didn't just get out the way they got in. I barely even used to acknowledge the flies' existence before I met her. When Alice and Jasper shared their first kiss I told Bella all about it. She was elated. The change in the atmosphere when they were together was much less awkward.

Carlisle and Esme had also had things stirring. Esme made frequent visits to the hospital, to see Bella, but would always end up talking to Carlisle. On the day Bella was let out of the hospital, Carlisle asked Esme to go hunting with him. It was the vampire equivalent of asking her out to dinner.

Alice showed me what he was planning. He had found a small stream, a good fifty miles from the house, that when followed, led to a beautiful pool that overlooked a meadow. At sunset the pool would shimmer a beautiful gold, and that was where he planned to take Esme.

Alice wouldn't give me any more details, claiming that she didn't let her visions go further, that she didn't want to intrude. When Bella fell asleep that night, glad to be home, I told Jasper about the first vision Alice had showed me, of them getting married and he was so happy that the rest of us couldn't physically stop laughing for an hour. He didn't bother trying to surprise her, he just turned to her and decided to marry her. Alice's face blanked out as she saw the outcome and she squeaked, throwing her arms around Jasper and kissing him passionately. They spun around and around, so overjoyed at finding each other that were we human we would've been crying. Even Emmett, who claimed to be emotionally unaffected, couldn't stop smiling.

They decided to get married in the summer, giving Alice half a year to make preparations. Rosalie was overjoyed also, and her and Alice disappeared that night to go shopping for no reason. Jasper, Emmett, Carlisle and Esme all decided to wrestle, to try and get rid of some of their extra energy. Emmett was unsure about Esme until she attacked him, sending him to the ground a good thirty meters away. He was strong, but she was clever. She used moves I had only seen in Jackie Chan films, kicks, punches and other clever tricks. Emmett lost repeatedly.

Jasper, sensing a strong challenge decided to attack Esme. They were both matched perfectly; him in strategy and experience, her in skill and instinct. Carlisle attacked Emmett and lost, the first two times, but won the third. Jasper and Esme were still at it. I began to realise that they were not only fighting, but teaching each other moves and strategy. They each became teacher and student, fighting the whole night through. I fought when challenged, but mostly I was listening, for any move Bella made during the night. It meant I lost nearly every match. I was distracted and they knew it.

"You're no fun!" Emmett complained.

"I know why." Jasper smirked and I turned to him, growling. _Should I say it Edward? Should I tell them what has you so distracted? Or should I say __who_ _has you so distracted?_

I pounced and we fought properly, I put up a hell of a good fight and won. I had my teeth at his neck.

"You dare even think about it."

"I thought you didn't. You've gone from denial to defensive." He replied. I let go and moved backwards. Esme, Carlisle and Emmett were completely baffled. I turned to the others.

"Who's next?" I asked. I refocused on the killing games instead. When Bella woke up and came downstairs, my concentration slipped again. Carlisle pinned me with a very easy move.

_Oh. I think I've figured out the distraction. Not so 'pretend' anymore is it?_ He thought. I sighed and gave him a look that said 'I have no idea what you're on about'. We all went inside, to get some changes in clothing. Rosalie and Alice were still out shopping somewhere.

BPOV

They told me I'd missed Jasper deciding to marry Alice. That pissed me off badly. My ribs ached, my head hurt from lack of sleep, because my ribs ached and now I was just plain angry.

"Gah! I hate being human! I hate sleep. You miss all the good stuff. Like why the hell are all of you soaked?" They all were soaked, except for Esme, who only had her sleeves and the bottom of her jeans wet.

"Wrestling." She replied as she fixed me breakfast.

"Did you slaughter them Esme?"

"Absolutely."

"Five it." I held out my hand. She tapped it as she sat down with me. "Have they tried wrestling with Alice yet?"

"No."

"Alice always wins. The only one who stands a chance is Edward." I looked at him and he poked his tongue out at me. It shocked me so much that I fell off the chair. (Caught by Esme.) Only Edward understood why I was in a huge fit of giggles. Every convulsion of my chest, that came with each giggle, hurt, but I couldn't stop. Seeing an adult poke his tongue out like a five year old was bad enough, but Edward was over a century old. It was the last thing I expected him to do, short of reading Dr. Seuss for fun. Jasper had to calm me to try and get me to stop laughing. When I finally did I rubbed my ribs, breathing hard and wincing.

"Ow."

"Sorry." Edward said, he came around behind me and let his cool hands rest on my ribs. It would've worked better if the icy feeling didn't have to go through fabric, but it worked well enough, and it made me blush. Carlisle, Esme and Emmett all stared at us with their mouths open.

"His hands are cold!" I explained. "It helps." I sat, eating my breakfast, while Edward continued talking as if holding me were the most natural thing he could be doing at that point. All of a sudden Esme disappeared. She had been dragged out of the room by Alice and Rosalie. I could hear them sorting through outfits. Rosalie came out with a few bags of clothes which she handed to Carlisle.

"Pick what you're wearing for your date – I mean hunting trip." Carlisle mumbled something, nasty I assumed, but he took the bags to his room anyway.

"I missed something." I sighed.

"Carlisle and Esme are simply dining together tonight." Edward whispered into my ear.

"So Alice and Jasper are getting married, Carlisle and Esme are going out and Christmas is two days away. Have I missed anything else?"

"I think that's it."

"I need a shower." I mumbled and made my way upstairs. Inevitably, I fell. Edward caught me immediately.

"Do you just walk around waiting for me to fall?"

"Do you just walk around waiting for me to catch you?"

"I was falling long before I met you. Remember I showed you the scars?"

"True." He leaned in towards me, his face inches from mine. "But I bet you enjoy being caught more." I forgot how to breathe. His golden eyes stared into mine, my head began to spin as we continued to look at each other. The electricity shooting through me was so strong it was almost painful.

"Breathe Bella." I complied and instantly felt better. He lifted me so that we were standing upright again. I stared at him, wondering so badly if he wanted me the way I wanted him. He must've been thinking the same thing, because he leant in, to kiss me. His hand was against my cheek and mine were on his waist. He leaned in, until we were a hair's width apart. The electricity in the air, in our bodies, was incredible. We were so close to kissing.

"Edward! Want to rematch? Rose doesn't want to fight!" Emmett called up the stairs. We jumped apart, as if we had been discovered doing something bad. I heard Jasper hit Emmett.

"Moron. They were so close too."

I looked down the stairs and then back at Edward, to discover that he had disappeared. After a few seconds of complete disorientation and slight hurt, I remembered that I had in fact been on my way to take a shower.

EPOV

I ran. I ended up in the middle of the forest before I stopped. I was up a spruce tree, tearing away at the branches, muttering to myself.

"What are you doing Edward?" I asked a branch as I demolished it. "What in God's name is running through that empty brain of yours?"

I jumped, landing on the soft ground.

"I shouldn't have run. I'm confusing her. But I shouldn't be that close. I'm dangerous to her, especially me, my bloodlust is... why am I so... but I can't stay away... I lo-... I can't believe it." I hadn't made a single coherent sentence, in my thoughts or my voice, but I had had an epiphany.

"I love her." I sighed and collapsed to the forest floor, staring at the canopy of leaves above me. "I love her. It's what Jasper has been feeling, what Carlisle and the others have been feeling."

I lay there thinking. I thought about all of the ridiculous reasons I couldn't be near her, and then all of the intoxicating reasons that I couldn't stay away. Her smile, her laugh, her voice, her warmth – both physically and emotionally – her blushes, her odd way of looking at the world, even her accident proneness.

_So what are you going to do about it? _Carlisle.

_Are you going to act on it?_ Esme.

They both appeared near me, but something about their attitude had changed. They were standing very close together, they were relaxed, yet still obviously moving at an extremely slow pace. It was infuriating. At least Alice and Jasper weren't. They both knew that they were destined for each other. Destiny, ha. Who believes in destiny?

"I don't know. How long have you been there?"

"Long enough to see you talk to yourself in the third person." Esme came and sat beside me. Carlisle followed suit.

"You love her. Does she feel the same way?" Carlisle asked, always the voice of reason.

"Her heart jumps whenever we touch. She forgets to breathe whenever I get too close. She blushes at my compliments. She looks at me, much the same way Alice looks at Jasper or Esme looks at you." Esme hit me then, keeping her eyes firmly on the ground. Carlisle smiled shyly, but then looked back at me. "There's a... it's like an electricity that flashes through us whenever we touch. She talks to me, she feels safe with me around." I realised the irony of my words and punched the ground.

"Safe? With a vampire? A single drop of her blood could make me kill her, yet she feels safe?"

"So kill her now, get it over with, before you get too connected." Carlisle said smoothly. I turned and tackled him, growling more fiercely than even I thought possible. He lay under me, unmoving, unattacking and it took me a second to realise that he was using reverse psychology. I had actually attacked my father. The one who had loved me and guided me for nearly a century and I had attacked him. I stood up immediately, pulling him to his feet.

"Carlisle, I..."

"I know. It just proves my point." Carlisle was expecting the reaction.

"Edward, you attacked your father for merely mentioning Bella's death, do you honestly believe you could hurt her?" Esme asked, hugging me. My two sides fought again. I was essentially a selfish creature though, I needed her.

"No." I eventually said. "I couldn't bear it." I placed my head in my hands and sighed. It took me a few moments to notice that Carlisle and Esme had left. I had to see her, to apologize. But I needed to hunt first.

BPOV

When I got out of the shower I got dressed and remembered that I had no Christmas shopping done.

"Um Alice?"

"Done Bella. I love mine by the way."

"I don't even know what it is!" I complained. I heard her soprano laugh.

"I took you to a store, you saw it you liked it for me, so I got it."

"You never took me anywhere."

"But I was going to. So it all worked out."

"I owe you one Alice."

It was meant as a simple phrase but she was instantly beside me. She looked like she was afraid to ask something.

"Would you be my maid of honour then? In the summer I mean?"

"Alice! I'd be offended if you didn't ask me!" She sighed, relieved and looked at me for a long moment.

"Alright then, something else."

"What?"

"Tell Edward you love him." She sighed. I rubbed my ears.

"Sorry; I must've got water in my ears. Say that again?"

"You heard. I've seen the way you look at him. We all have. Jasper can feel it too." Alice took my hands and made me sit on my bed. She stared me straight in the eyes and asked;

"What do you find so appealing anyway?"

"Alice, are you crazy? He's the most sarcastic, over-protective, smart-ass I've ever met. I mean sure he's good looking, he's got eyes that make me forget how to breathe, a smile that stops my heart, literally and when we touch..." my voice was getting softer and softer. I wasn't looking at Alice anymore. I was seeing his face, his smile, his analyzing expressions. "There's an electricity. It's like I'm addicted to him. He's in my every thought, and the lullaby he wrote me. He's been so kind and patient, he saved my life with the whole snowball thing..." Alice's smug smile jolted me back into reality and I remembered that I was supposed to be convincing her I wasn't in love with him. "But besides that... he's so... so ..."

"Loving?"

"Yes. I mean no." I tried to correct her, futile attempts really.

"Adoring?"

"Yes. No no no!"

"Perfect?"

"Yes. Yes, that one. Too perfect. It makes me look ridiculous to be near him. I'm just a stupid human." I didn't realise I was crying until Alice wiped away the tears.

"You're in love with him Bella. It's nothing to be ashamed of."

"What if he doesn't love me?"

"Ask him." Alice tilted her head towards the door. I whipped around to see Edward leaning carefully in the doorway. His eyes were filled with sparkle and they looked at me with such intensity I thought I would burst.

"And here I came to apologize to you, then tell you that I loved you. You beat me to it." He smiled. I didn't blush. I was too focused on the fact that he said he loved me. I turned to look at Alice, but she had disappeared. I turned to look at Edward and he was only a foot away from me. I jumped, falling off of the bed and he caught me. We were positioned exactly as we had been on the stairs. He smiled and lifted me up. His arms were around my waist, mine were against his chest.

"Déjà vu." He whispered to me. We leant in once more. Our mouths were a hair's width apart and the electricity was coursing through me, faster than my blood, which was being pumped extremely fast. We inhaled each other's scents for a moment, enjoying being close... before-

"Have they kissed yet?" Emmett's voice sounded from downstairs. We both broke out laughing instead, especially when Jasper hit Emmett, again. But this time we didn't break away from each other. He straightened and I banged my forehead on his chest, but we still were together. I unwound myself and he kept an arm around my waist as we both walked downstairs again.

Christmas was fun. I stayed up all night with the vampires, just talking and having fun. We played ridiculous games, word games, Christmas games, even a few rounds of charades. I drank six cups of coffee to try and keep myself up the next day. It didn't help that Edward kept settling me down on couches and humming my lullaby to me.


	6. Chapter 6

BPOV

BPOV

When the school routine got back in order, I began to realise just how much of a nuisance I was to them. The family couldn't play sports because they didn't want me to feel left out, they didn't drive as fast as they wanted to, because I was terrified of the speed. They had to slow down to talk to me, be extremely careful when touching me, be louder when they walked, so that I wouldn't jump out of my skin whenever they appeared, and I began to see exactly how much restraint and care Alice and Esme had been using with me. I hadn't been able to distinguish the difference until I saw them acting properly natural with the Cullens.

Esme, Alice, Carlisle and Edward didn't mind acting human, but the others, however they tried to hide it, didn't like having to. Jasper was always polite though, and Emmett was only miffed because I wouldn't let him play Bella Ball. Rosalie was still unkind to me. What made it worse, was the fact that everyone kept denying it. Although they were trying to make me feel like I was part of the family, I felt more and more like an outsider every minute.

I tried to tell myself I was being ridiculous. I was so blessed, to have seven protectors; a big brother who could calm me, a father figure who could save me multiple visits to the hospital, a sister who could see the future, and of course, Edward. What had I done to deserve any of them and their kindness? It would be better if I wasn't interfering in their lives. If I was just gone in the first place. The Cullens and Hales would've probably met ages ago. They would've been happier and able to be together, completely comfortable, not hiding, not pretending...

EPOV

Ever since our second 'almost kiss' Bella had been thinking. She would sit watching something, but not seeing it. Her eyes looked pained whenever she saw one of us and I wondered if perhaps Rosalie had hurt her, or if one of the boys in school had said something to offend her. Her sleep was interrupted more frequently by her sleepwalking. She simply stood and paced around her room, waving her hands around as if she were having a silent argument with herself. After a few hours she would simply stop and I'd put her back to bed. Bella's face was becoming paler, more drawn, and her eyes began to almost blur out at times. I wished I could hear into her mind, if only to understand what could be distracting her.

She stayed close to me always, always touching my hand, my shoulder, my waist, and I returned the favour, letting my arm rest on hers, around her shoulders, gently on her neck... Whenever she fell I would catch her, whenever she got stuck on schoolwork I was there to help. I tried to be as close to her as possible, but something was still wrong. It was torturing me. Whatever had her mind occupied was slowly eating at me also. She wouldn't talk to any of us either.

I had to go hunting. Most of us did. Alice, Esme, Jasper, Emmett and myself were all going. I was worried about leaving Bella alone for that long, especially since she had only yesterday fallen down the stairs, but I was more of a danger to her if I stayed.

"Bella, love. We'll be home soon, that I promise you."

"It's alright. Angela just called and asked if I wanted to sleep over. I told her I'd be right there." It was Friday night and Angela was a responsible enough human to keep Bella relatively safe. I ran my hand across her cheekbone and her eyes half-closed in enjoyment. She blushed as I touched her of course, but that was what I loved about her.

"I'll see you soon." I leant in and, although my throat burst into flames, kissed her forehead. I pulled away slightly but she locked her arms around my neck. Her hands slid to my jaw and she pulled herself up, to kiss me on the edge of my lips.

"I'll miss you." She whispered to me. My breath hitched. We stood, with our faces inches apart, arms intertwined until my brothers called me.

"Rosalie, if anything happens to her, neither you nor Emmett will be able to stop me from ripping you to shreds."

I heard her growl at me from upstairs as we all got into the car and drove off. We were hunting quite far away, it would take three hours to get to our destination, even with our faster than average driving.

BPOV

I began to drive to Angela's when an overwhelming amount of emotion hit me. I stopped the car and got out, laying on the side of the road. I had to try and leave, let them know that I wanted them to move on. They could live an extremely happy life without me. They could be themselves, free of the stupid, slow, clumsy human. I did nothing but cause trouble and worry. Edward would have a chance at finding a mate worthy of him, his affections. I got back into the car and called Alice's cell phone, leaving a message.

"Alice, Esme, I love you both so much, and I can't begin to imagine repaying you for your kindness. Carlisle, Jasper, if you so much as make one of them stop smiling I trust Emmett and Edward will rip you to pieces. Emmett, never stop smiling okay? Rosalie, I'm sorry we didn't exactly hit it off, but if we ever meet again I hope it will be on better terms. Edward... I have no idea how to tell you how happy you've made me, how wonderful I felt when around you. You deserve better. You deserve someone who can equal you in intelligence, courtesy, looks and love. God I hope you find her Edward. I love you all and I don't want you to come find me. It's better like this. See you someday. Bella."

By the end of the message I was crying. I snapped shut the cell phone and drove as quickly as I could, away from my home town, to the closest airport. I called Angela and cancelled our plans, telling her that I was taking a vacation to somewhere tropical. If I found a sunny place to go it would be harder for them to find me, or at least, to find me publicly. When I got to the airport I opened the drawer under the passenger seat and took out the huge roll of cash Alice had stored there. There was also a passport, saying that I was twenty one, and a key to an emergency hotel room. I didn't take the key. That would be too obvious. In the airport, I was fortunate enough to get a ticket to a plane that was leaving in a half an hour. I sat waiting, looking over my shoulder, knowing that the instant I had begun to plan my escape, Alice would see and turn the car around. They had been gone for an hour before I'd even left for Angela's, so that gave me some time.

I continued watching for the inhumanly beautiful faces that would appear, but none came. The plane took off and I was half tempted to check the wings, I wouldn't put it past Alice to be so desperate as to hang onto the wings and try to get my attention. I fell into an uneasy sleep, dreaming of Edward and his musical laugh.


	7. Chapter 7

BPOV

EPOV

Carlisle drove quickly. As did I. We had taken two cars, simply because it was more comfortable. I was listening slightly to the conversation going on in the car, but thinking more of Bella and counting down the time until I would get to see her again. In another two hours we would be at our destination, five for a good hunt, then a three hour return trip. Emmet and Alice were fighting in the back of Carlisle's car. I was reading both of their minds and it was rather uninteresting. Alice and Emmett were also thinking about their 'other halves' making my longing that much stronger. Jasper and Esme were talking politely, but Jasper's mind was on Alice. Esme was more careful with her thoughts, but one or two 'Carlisle's slipped through.

Part of my mind wished that Bella could be like us, a vampire, so that she could hunt with us, fight with us, and that I could be with her. I tried to imagine her, how glorious she would look, hunting, tracking a lion, running quickly through the trees. I then banished the idea. Bella was a goddess. She was beautiful, kind, selfless, I loved when she blushed, fell over her own feet, her sleep talking and occasional sleep walking. And I could never see her go through that pain. Three days of unimaginable torture, when the body feels as though it is literally on fire. Every vein, every nerve, coursing in pain, unimaginable heat and no escape. Three days of purgatory, that I would never let Bella endure, let alone cause myself.

_Dammit Edward. For a minute there, I saw Bella being changed a lot sooner than we had planned but now she's back to being twenty five._

"What?" I asked loudly. She must've read my lips through the glass of the car because she responded.

_Esme and I were going to change Bella. Bella has been asking for it for a while. She is too much a part of our family for us to let her grow old and die. Do you really think Bella or us would be happy when she looks old enough to be my grandmother? Besides, it will be easier on your relationship. For a fraction of a second, she was changed now-ish. She looked damn good._

"Um... I don't think my nerves could take it, was all I said." Jasper repeated confusedly from the back. He had thought I was talking about their conversation. "What the hell has got you so mad?"

"Alice." To my surprise Esme laughed.

"She can do that."

_Don't talk about me when I'm not there. Just becau- Bella was reaching under the seat of a car. She pulled out a large wad of cash and a passport. Her car swung around and she drove, far too quickly away._ The vision blurred for a moment._ Bella was sitting in an airplane. She kept looking towards the exit, afraid of something, like some creature was going to burst in and grab her. As the plane took off, she visibly relaxed and fell into a light sleep._

Alice's car made a sharp u-turn, a dangerous thing to do on a highway. Mine followed quickly.

"Wow, what are we doing?"

"Has something happened with Bella?" Esme asked, so smart and observant.

"She's about to go flying, where we don't know. But Alice hasn't seen us actually stop her yet.

_Edward, is she alright? Unharmed? _Carlisle.

_We just burnt so much rubber in that turn. Carlisle can really drive. _Emmett.

_What is she doing? Damn. Next time, I bring my cell phone._ Alice.

I reached instinctively for mine, then remembered that we had all left our cell phones back at the house. None of us really liked being disturbed while we hunted. I would never let mine out of my sight again. I would never let Bella out of my sight again. With her luck she'd down the plane. We drove back faster than we had drove on the way out. When we got to the house, Alice jumped out before Carlisle had even stopped the car. She grabbed her cell phone and brought it to us. I snapped it open, her face already looking sad, clearly she had seen the message.

"Alice, Esme, I love you both so much, and I can't begin to imagine repaying you for your kindness. Carlisle, Jasper, if you so much as make one of them stop smiling I trust Emmett and Edward will rip you to pieces. Emmett, never stop smiling okay? Rosalie, I'm sorry we didn't exactly hit it off, but if we ever meet again I hope it will be on better terms. Edward..." Her voice, slightly distorted by the cell phone, paused and I could almost imagine the look on her face as she struggled to find words.

"I have no idea how to tell you how happy you've made me, how wonderful I felt when around you." My heart leapt at the revelation. "You deserve better. You deserve someone who can equal you in intelligence, courtesy, looks and love. God I hope you find her Edward. I love you all and I don't want you to come find me. It's better like this. See you someday. Bella."

The phone exploded. My hand had clenched it so tightly that it shattered into a thousand sharp fragments, all of which fell to the ground.

"Hey!"

But I was too angry at Bella's words. Better? There was no equal to her, in all of my years, I had never seen someone so kind, so pure. She only lied to help others, never herself, and not very convincingly. She was the purest soul I had ever seen, filled with love, courtesy and her sharp wit was unmatched. Not only that, she was beautiful and I could never imagine someone looking as heavenly as she did. But she believed that she wasn't good enough for me. She wanted me to find the perfect woman. Well I found her, and she was swiftly leaving me.

She was leaving me. As soon as my mind thought the words, physical pain shot through my body. I collapsed to the ground, to be caught by Alice and Carlisle.

"Edward?"

My insides were so painfully contorted I could barely stand straight.

"We have to find her."

"The plane has already left. I still can't see where she's going, it's night when they land, and foggy. She didn't use a credit card, she used cash. Untraceable. I have to wait for another vision, else I have no idea where she is." Alice whispered, she was still holding me up.

"So the twerp's gone. Deal with it." Rosalie said, walking out calmly. I would've ripped her to shreds, had her thoughts been what her mouth was saying.

_Edward. If you tell anyone that I'm worried about her, it will be the last thing you ever do. I don't love her like you do, hell I don't even like her. But I do love you, and you love her, so I'm kind of stuck caring about her. Oh, growl or something, you'd never let that one fly without some kind of warning._

I growled at her words, but my eyes thanked her for her thoughts. Rosalie was a very complicated person. I stood up and ran inside. Pacing about the floor, my insides still turning with pain, I waited. Alice sat, cross-legged in the middle of the kitchen table, her eyes closed, her thoughts elsewhere, trying to pick up on Bella. Jasper was in pain also, feeling what I was feeling. He sat beside Alice, holding her hand. It helped some of his ache go away, but seeing the action only made mine stronger.

Carlisle and Esme sat next to each other, on the couch. She was extremely worried and kept opening and closing her mouth, about to speak and deciding against it. Her hand gripped the arm of the chair, until the wood under the fabric began to complain. Carlisle moved in front of her and carefully lifted her hand away from the chair, letting it rest in his. He looked straight into her eyes, radiating nothing but comfort, reassurance and determination. Esme quickly calmed down as she continued to stare at him. You didn't have to have Jasper's gift to calm someone.

Jasper was still trying to close his gift down somehow, trying to relieve himself of the pain he was feeling from me. Rosalie and Emmett were watching us. I had never seen Emmett look so vulnerable. Despite being as large as a trailer when it came to muscular size, he looked very small at the moment. He had never before worried about losing a sibling, and that was exactly what Bella was to him, a frail sister. Rosalie was more trying to comfort Emmett, but I could hear her mind wondering about Bella.

"Um guys? You do remember she said she doesn't want us to go and find her? If we do, who's to say she won't just try to run away again?"Rosalie voiced. My eyes flicked up to her as the realisation of her message sunk in. She didn't want us to find her. I collapsed to the ground once again, tucking my knees to my chest. Jasper cringed also at the fresh wave of agony he received.

In my ninety years as a vampire, I had never felt so much pain as I did now. I had once been in a fight, where my opponent had managed to rip my arm off. I had finished dismembering him, despite the pain and had reattached my arm, waiting for the wound to seal itself. That had hurt a lot, but it was not a candle to this fire. My transformation from human to vampire was the only pain I could even compare to how I felt now. The ache wasn't all over my body, but centered around my chest, my lungs, my unbeating heart, and my mind. It took all of my strength to try and focus. My breathing was harsh and irregular and I knew that Carlisle was worried about me.

Rosalie had never tried to leave Emmett, nor had he tried to leave her, and I could only assume that they would feel the same. Carlisle and Jasper had never had their other halves, until now, and I wondered strongly if they would feel the same. I had to run, out of Jasper's range, but still in mine. It wasn't fair to put him in so much pain. As soon as I was far enough away I heard him.

_Wow. Much better. Thanks Edward. I'm so sorry I can't do anything. I was trying, but it didn't seem to help._

I didn't care. The pain was worse now, and I broke into tearless, soundless sobs.

BPOV

As the plane flew further away, my chest began to rip itself apart. A gaping hole appeared where my heart used to be. Tears streamed down my face. I had to keep repeating to myself that it was for the better that everything would be okay. It wasn't working. I wanted Edward to be there, to wrap his cold arms around me, like he had been doing at night. Ever since the first almost kiss, Edward had admitted that he watched me sleep. So he lay with me every night, his cold arms circling me, protecting me. It was heaven on earth, for a creature, a god, that perfect to want to be near me for every minute possible. A strangled sound escaped my lips again, as my breathing became shallower. It hurt to try and breathe. I felt like I was falling apart. My arms wrapped around my chest, in an effort to hold myself together. The man beside me had the music playing from his walkman far too loudly and as the headphones slid around his neck, I could hear the song clearly.

"You're beautiful you're beautiful

You're beautiful, it's true

There must be an angel with a smile on her face

When she thought up that I should be with you

But it's time to face the truth

I will never be with you."

I passed out as a fresh wave of pain hit me.

When I next woke, we were landing. I felt a fresh wave of tears hit as I got off of the plane and bought another ticket. I was planning to go to Italy. I could speak good French, Alice had taught me. She had warned me never to go to Italy though, she said that in Italy lived a powerful family of vampires that should be avoided at all costs. I was planning to land in Italy and drive to France. My Italian was passable, I could have a conversation, but I wouldn't move there.

I had an hour to wait before that plane left, then a half hour until we were actually in the air. I decided to text Esme's cell, to let her know that I was safe.

Hey,

I'm safe. Don't worry about me.

Love you

Bella.

As soon as I sent the message I turned the cell off, so it couldn't be traced and I felt that wave of agony, ripping at my chest. It became hard to breathe and I fell over, clutching at my stomach. Somebody, a security guard, asked if I was alright. I stood and let him know that it was just stomach cramps, PMS. He backed away quickly after that. I realised that I hadn't eaten in a while, but I didn't really care anymore. My stomach growled slightly and I just ignored it, walking towards a bathroom where I could wait. If Alice had any visions of me, she would only see the bathroom and wouldn't be able to tell where I was exactly. So I sat, slumped in the dirty bathroom, watching a large spider crawl its way up the wall beside me.

After an hour, I ran to the plane. They were surprised by my one carry on item; my shoulder bag. In it was the money, my passport, a sweater and my cell phone. I sat again in the hard chair, distracted only by the toddler beside me. Her curly blonde hair was shoulder length, her eyes were blue and her skin was pale and soft. Her pink dress had a grass stain on it and I was faintly reminded of when I was first found by Esme and Alice. They had kept me in dresses until Alice had realised that I much preferred shorts and jeans. I was six and a half by the time I had completely gotten rid of dresses. I would wear the occasional skirt, but only if necessary. Remembering Alice and Esme got the waterworks started again. The little girl climbed into my lap and, facing me, wiped away the tears.

"Don't be sad. The plane will go and then stop and then we get off."

"I know. I'm just sad about my family."

"They is right here all the time. It's where my daddy is." She said matter-of-factly tapping her heart. Her mother quickly pulled her off of my lap.

"I'm very sorry."

"It's alright. She makes a lot of sense."

"She does that." The mother belted the little girl in and we played a few games of staring contests. I let her win the first staring contest and then I won, then let her win the next two. I gave up after that. Pretending that she was too good at the game for me. Her mother eyed me with suspicion at first, but soon relaxed. I spent the next five hours playing with Emma. That was her name. She told me all about her doggie, Ella (Short for Cinderella) and how Ella is her pillow when she goes to sleep. I told her about an imaginary bunny rabbit, pretending that I actually had one. His name was Flopsy, and he was really fat. This made Emma laugh. We played pat-a-cake and I taught her a new pat-a-cake game. For a few hours I was able to forget the pain. But when the plane began to land, the hole seared again and the tears began again.

I said goodbye to Emma and found a taxi. I asked to be taken to a car dealership and was immediately taken there. I bought a car quickly, no paperwork and drove quickly, heading north. I would find a place to sleep when I got to France. It was dusk when the plane had landed, so as I drove away from the airport, it began to get darker and darker. I should've checked how much gas I was burning, but I didn't. I was too focused on trying to escape, to keep running. I pulled the car over and stood outside of it, wondering desperately how far the nearest gas station was.

A pickup truck stopped beside me.

"Need a boost?" The driver had an American accent, which explained the pickup. Not exactly the most popular car in Italy.

"Gas actually. You wouldn't have a tank I could buy would you?"

"No. I can drive you to the nearest gas station though, it's a good ten miles." He offered. I stayed put. I was in a foreign country, alone, in the middle of the night and he could be anyone. He seemed to realise this. "Oh, right. Um... Pledge of good faith then? Here." He threw his wallet at me, after taking his driver's licence out. "Stick that in your car. That way I have an incentive to bring you back." I opened it and realised that there was quite a bit of money in there. I locked it in my car and hopped into his.

"How do you know you can trust me?"

"Um...good point. But, you're already sticking your neck out, so that sort of defines your character a little."

"True. I'm Izzy." It was a name I hadn't used for years, but would answer to when called. We were driving not as quickly as I had been, but fast enough.

"I'm Mike. I own a bar here. Well a little north of here. It's close to France, though I may change that. I get a lot of French customers and I have no idea what they're trying to tell me."

"I speak great French, and passable Italian, perfect English and I can understand Latin. I don't quite know why though. I'm looking for a place to stay and a job I suppose."

"Cool. Latin? Who understands Latin anymore?"

"Me, my sister." Tears began to spill again.

"Hey you okay?"

"Yeah, I just... I had to leave my sister, and I won't be seeing her again for a while."

"Harsh. My mom, is in America. Washington actually. My family owns a sporting goods store. You can get stuff for hiking and the outdoorsy stuff. I was never any good at it though. Plus I always wanted to run my own bar, and I kinda fell in love with Italy when my family vacationed here."

"Most of my family is in a band."

"Sweet!"

"Yeah."

"So were you too?"

"No. But I can play the piano and sing I suppose."

"I have no musical talent past humming and whistling, and even that is sketchy."

Mike was really easy going. Easy to talk to. He told me all about his business, and a few of the more interesting customers he got.

"I have a partner, Eric. He helps me run things. He does stock and bookkeeping, and marketing and budgeting."

"So what do you do?"

"I mix the drinks, clean the place, organize parties, keep everyone under control. I do most of the physical stuff. Eric never even has to be in the bar, but he is anyway."

"You sound like you've got it covered."

"Sort of. I wouldn't mind a..." a sharp intake of breath followed and he looked over at me excitedly. It then passed and he shook it off. "Nah. Stupid."

"What?"

"Nothing."

"Tell me or use my superpowers to hurt you."

"I knew you were trouble." He laughed, then turned more serious. The pickup turned into the gas station and I went and grabbed a couple of tanks of gas. When I got back in, he was looking at me thoughtfully. He spun the truck around and we headed back to my car.

"You know you said you needed a job? And a place to stay?"

"Yeah."

"Well, I need a second barkeep. Someone to help clean and waitress a little."

"You want to hire me?"

"Well, I'll need your resume."

"Okay here it is: Never had to work before, done a hundred and twenty six hours of volunteer work, know a lot about medicines and first aid. I have no balance, bad hand-eye coordination, and a sharp tongue."

"Awesome. How about this. You stay for like, a week, and if you like it you can stay, if not, you can leave, no strings."

"Do I get paid for the week?"

"How about half pay?" he reasoned. "You're not technically an employee so..."

"That sounds great, really Mike thanks. You sure you have a place I can stay?"

"There's a room above the bar. Right now it's got some old boxes in it, and it's probably pretty disgusting, but we can clean it."

When we got to my car I gave him his wallet back and drove behind him as he led the way to his bar. It was a beautiful place and it was very close to the border. I slept in my car that night, relishing the fact that I had something to do in the morning, but I still slept uneasily. I missed Edward. I'd even settle for Alice, Emmett, Jasper, Esme or Carlisle. Heck I'd settle for Rosalie. I cried myself back to sleep three times that night.


	8. Chapter 8

BPOV

BPOV

When we got to my car I gave him his wallet back and drove behind him as he led the way to his bar. It was a beautiful place and it was very close to the border. I slept in my car that night, relishing the fact that I had something to do in the morning, but I still slept uneasily. I missed Edward. I'd even settle for Alice, Emmett, Jasper, Esme or Carlisle. Heck I'd settle for Rosalie. I cried myself back to sleep three times that night.

EPOV

_Pisa? Italy! What the hell is she doing in Italy? I told her to stay away from Italy!_

It was the first coherent thought I had picked up from Alice. The rest had been flashes of images. A small girl in a pink dress, a car dealership, a taxi. My mind was buzzing, but my body was unable to do so. I was in so much pain. I needed Bella back. It had been twenty three hours since I had last seen her. I was afraid to go into the house. Afraid that I might catch her scent, that I would break down again. Our family had all hunted, except Alice. She stayed, sat on the table, trying to find Bella.

Italy. Volturi. Not good. I ran back to the house and Jasper started to feel my pain again.

"Italy?"

"Yes. But wait a second. Everything is blurry, undefined, like she's not planning on staying there. Ugh I'm getting a headache."

"Take a break." Carlisle ordered. Alice shook her head.

"I need to find her."

"You need to hunt." I said. She had already done so much. Hunting would take my mind off of..._her_... for a little also. We hunted, quickly and efficiently before Alice retook her spot on the table. She closed her eyes and began trying to find Bella again. I stood, determined to be strong, to not let my family see me in pain. Only Jasper wasn't fooled. So I stopped trying to feel anything. I closed off my emotions.

I watched through Alice as she saw Bella break down, then get into a random stranger's pickup truck. Fury rippled through me. If he so much as lay a finger on her, I would hunt him down and kill him. The next vision I saw was of Bella asleep, crying.

"I miss you. I want you all back. But it's better for you. Better like this. Better..."

I had to stop looking. There was no way I could see her in that much pain. But she had made it clear. She didn't want us there. She wanted to be alone.

"We can't go." I said. They all looked at me like I was insane.

"What?" Alice finally whispered.

"She doesn't want us there. She left us."

Alice and Esme broke into tearless sobs and it took all of my will power not to do the same. My world had vanished. There was no point in anything anymore. Jasper hugged Alice and Carlisle swept Esme into his arms also. They were trying to comfort each other. I didn't want to be comforted. I wanted Bella, and she was the one thing I couldn't have. The universe came crashing down upon me, and Emmett caught me before I hit the floor.

BPOV

When Mike rapped on the car window, I wasn't asleep. I was pretending, trying even, but my body didn't want to sleep. I pretended to wake up and Mike showed me around the bar. It needed some serious cleaning, so that was what I set about doing. I dusted the entire bar, especially since it had a whole bunch of beautiful dark red shelves. Most of the bar was decorated in the dark red wood and black leather. I swept shortly after and reorganized their shelves, explaining the system to both Mike and Eric as I did. They asked me to do the same thing to the stock room, so I cleaned and reorganized that also. I took some bleach and began scrubbing out the two bathrooms. I left the graffiti; that would be tomorrow's job. Both Mike and Eric were impressed. At around six, the bar began filling up. Mike asked me to sit at the bar and watch the 'order of things'. I watched as he poured out countless drinks, keeping an eye on suspicious looking men and vulnerable looking women. He kept everyone's tabs in check and even managed to split up a fight. At around three thirty in the morning he closed the bar.

"Now we sleep." Mike said, about to start locking up.

"I'll sleep again in my car tonight and then tomorrow I'll clean the room I'll be staying in."

" 'Kay."

I slept for four hours. I then decided that I needed clothes, a shower and the other necessities I had not brought with me. I found a good clothes store and bought simple clothes; black and blue jeans, black and blue t-shirts, black underwear, black shoes, sneakers. I bought toiletries and a cell phone charger, and even a laptop, bedding. I also bought some better cleaning supplies; the ones Mike and Eric had sucked. I drove back and Eric had already opened it up. He sat in one of the booths, paperwork surrounding him. He watched as I cleaned the room I was to be staying in. The boxes, when stacked properly, only took up a small corner of the room. There was a shower, sink, toilet and a small bed.

I cleaned up all the spider webs, collecting the spiders into a jar. I scrubbed the entire room from top to bottom and put the bedding on the bed. The clothes got hung onto a bar that was near the stacks of boxes. I showered and cleaned up, slipping into some comfortable clothes. I then took all of the cleaning supplies downstairs again and swept out the entire bar, getting rid of all the peanut shells. I used some chemicals to get rid of spilled drinks and the sticky spots that accompanied them. Mike came in and started complaining that he had nothing to do. I gave him a brush and bleach and told him to get rid of the graffiti in the bathroom.

"I can't believe this. My unofficial employee is bossing me around." But he laughed and winked and got straight to it. When I finally sat down for a quick break Eric cornered me.

"Izzy, I want to ask you a few questions okay?"

"It's your prerogative."

"How old are you?"

"Twenty one." I remembered my passport. I flipped it out of my bag and showed him. He seemed satisfied. It was a very good forgery.

"Are you in trouble of some kind? Why are you homeless out here?"

"I'm not in trouble, honest, I just wanted to get away from my family. They know I'm here."

"Alright. What would you do if a bar fight occurs?"

"Get you or Mike."

"And if we weren't there?"

"Call the police I suppose? I can't fight and I'm too small to be intimidating."

"Smart." He seemed to be testing me. It was the interview Mike never gave me. "I know that you can clean up well," he motioned to the bar. "But can you mix drinks?"

"I've never tried."

Eric stood and found a thick book. He brought it back and gave it to me. I flipped through the pages. The book was filled with recipes and pictures of every drink on the planet.

"Memorise this in your free time, and you can stay. Um, but we do have a dress code."

I saw his form fitting black t-shirt and black jeans, with black sneakers. I had many form-fitting black t-shirts and a pair of black jeans, and black sneakers. I nodded.

"Um, you could wear a skirt if you really wanted to." He added. I shook my head. "You can watch again tonight, and do your thing tomorrow, and we'll see how you and I get along, deal?" he held out his hand and I shook it. He twisted my arm quickly and pulled my sleeve above my elbow. Seeing nothing on the inside of my arm he grinned apologetically.

"Had to check. You look like hell, so I thought you might be in withdrawal or something."

"Nope. I just haven't had much sleep, or food." I showed him my other arm too and he nodded appreciatively. I realised that I was a little hungry and walked down the street to a small diner. I got a simple breakfast and then walked back. When I got inside Eric was holding up a paint can and Mike grudgingly took it, heading back towards the bathroom.

"Anything I can do?"

"You've done enough these past two days. It looks cleaner in here than it has in months. He needs to do something today so I have him painting the bathrooms, to get rid of the graffiti he couldn't scrub off."

With nothing to do my brain began to think about home. My breathing became laboured and I looked around frantically for something to occupy my time. There was a piano in the corner. I let my fingers slide up the keys and realised that it was very out of tune. So for the next few hours I tuned the piano. It took a lot of concentration. It was something Esme had once taught me. As soon as I thought the name, tears began spilling down my face.

That night, I watched again, trying myself to keep the correct tabs on people. I was elated to realise that I could easily do that, it just took focus. I heard someone throwing up and cringed at the thought of cleaning that up. When we closed again at three thirty I went to bed. I slept for three hours that night. When I woke I began memorising. It took a few hours, but I managed to get through the book twice, typing up the recipes on my new laptop.

During the day I cleaned up, helped Eric with the stocks and memorised more. Eric tested me and I was happy to know that I knew sixty percent of the drinks he asked me about. That night, I changed into a tight black t-shirt and jeans and stood behind the bar with Mike. Although I got hit on a couple of times, I actually nearly enjoyed myself.

That night I couldn't sleep at all. I sat memorising the drinks, then writing out names to random recipes and recipes to names. By the time I was supposed to wake up I knew every drink backwards and forwards. I showered, singing softly to myself.

"Deep in Denialville

Tryin' a' fight the way I feel

I go jello when you smile

I start blushin'-my head rushin'

If you stand too close to me

I might melt down from the heat

If ya' look my way one more time

I'm gonna go out of my mind

Whatever you do...

Don't even think about it

Don't go and get me started

Don't you dare drive me crazy

Don't do that to me baby

You stop me in my tracks

My heart pumpin' to the max

I'm such a sucker for your eyes

They permanently paralyze..."

My voice stopped. The song that was supposed to help me cheer myself up, had two things wrong with it. The Cullens had written it and it fit Edward and I perfectly. My chest seared in pain again and I collapsed to the bottom of the shower. I barely even felt the water anymore. I was trying to breathe and it wasn't working. I turned the shower off with numb fingers and crawled to my bed. I lay there, naked and in extreme pain until Mike snapped me out of it. A few knocks at the door followed by a query as to my decency, made me sit up and wrap myself into a towel.

I opened the door and he blushed.

"Um, I'm sorry, it's just I wanted to know if you wanted breakfast and then we have a lot of cleaning to do."

"Okay I'll be down in a bit." I pulled myself together and got dressed, we had breakfast and then we cleaned. Oddly enough, my body didn't feel like it usually did when I pulled an all-nighter. That night, before the bar filled, I sent a quick message to Esme's cell again.

I'm fine. Settled.

How are you?

Bella.

Pain shot through me as I turned off the cell again. I knew, however that they would be better, all of them would be happier with me gone, especially Rosalie.

"Izzy!" Mike called. I slipped the cell into my pocket and began the night.

EPOV

I was technically dead. I had been for years. But I _died _when she left. I lost the will to carry on. I sat, staring at the piano keys, not moving, not talking, not even breathing. I could've passed as a figure in a wax museum. Alice was still trying to locate Bella, but all she kept seeing was the inside of a bar.

_Shes working in a bar in France. Americans run it, so why cant I find it?_ Alice had been searching ruthlessly through the internet, hacking the entire world wide web. She had commandeered a satellite to pick up Bella's phone signal, but Bella had her phone off. The last text message had said she was settled. Esme's response had been longer:

Bella,

Come home!

We all miss you so terribly.

You don't have to try and let us live without you.

It doesn't work.

Edward has barely said a word since you left.

Please come home.

It's not the same without you.

Esme

I knew she wasn't coming back. I had probably scared her off. I didn't want her to be unhappy. She didn't want to have us near her. If it made her happy I would stay away, for as long as she wanted.

_Edward? What is this?_ Jasper came down, carrying a sheet of paper. I skimmed through it when he placed it in front of me. It was a song I had written, about Bella.

You're just too good to be true

I can't take my eyes off you

You feel like heaven to touch

I wanna hold you so much

At long last love has arrived

And I thank God I'm alive

You're just too good to be true

Can't take my eyes off you

Pardon the way that I stare

There's nothing else to compare

The sight of you makes me weak

There are no words left to speak

But if you feel like I feel

Please let me know that it's real

You're just too good to be true

Can't take my eyes off you

I love you, baby

And if it's quite all right

I need you, baby

To warm the lonely nights

I love you, baby

Trust in me when I say

Oh, pretty baby

Don't bring me down, I pray

Oh, pretty baby

Now that I found you, stay

And let me love you, baby

Let me love you

The hole I had managed to partially stitch up ripped open again, filling my insides with pain. Jasper cringed as he felt it too.

"If you love her why not go after her?"

I didn't move. She wanted to be away from me. I would make her happy.

"Do you honestly think she's happy out there?"

I didn't know. If she wasn't she would've come home.

"What if she's not coming home because she wants you to find someone to love? She doesn't believe she's any good for you. There was a major feeling of inequality radiating from her whenever she was around you. What if she won't come home because she feels self-conscious around seven images of perfection? She's beautiful, for a human. She doesn't see that. She feels like she is the odd one out, an outsider, the weak link in a strong chain. She's even pretty weak for a human. She's constantly feeling like a burden to us. It isn't true, but after seeing what Esme and Alice could have, were she not here... You were a difficult complication. Falling in love with you made it that little bit harder for her to leave."

It was the longest speech I had ever heard Jasper make. He was absolutely right though. I began crying the tearless sobs again and Jasper hugged me. I had never been so helpless emotionally as I was in that moment, and Jasper, being the unique person he was helped me exactly the way I needed to be. I felt like a child, wanting his mother. As if called, Esme was the next to be beside me. Carlisle followed, his eyes filled with pride and understanding.

_I will find her if it kills me._

Alice's determination helped me. When I stood I asked the date. Three weeks had passed since she had left. It had felt like merely moments, and at the same time, decades. I needed to hunt; I was weak and couldn't focus.

The hunt didn't take long, but I felt better. When I got back into hearing range of Alice she squeaked excitedly.

_I was looking for the wrong country! She's still in Italy._

"I thought you said that the customers at the bar spoke French." The snippets of visions she had, had shown Bella conversing easily in French, but only rarely in Italian. We had assumed she was in France, close to Italy.

"She's in Italy, close to France."

Alice showed me a vision.

"_I think I've spoken more French tonight, than I ever did when I was in France." Bella told Mike._

"_That just proves that you don't have to be there to enjoy the language."_

"_True."_

She wasn't in France. The internet searches were more complicated now. Near the border, run by Americans, bar, opened at five, closed at three thirty. A few matches came up, but nothing quite fit. Until Alice came across a single sentence:

_Not as good as the King's Way, a bar only streets away. There they speak great English, the owners being American..._

"That has to be it." She whispered. Rosalie was actually the first one in the car.


	9. Chapter 9

BPOV

BPOV

I don't know how many weeks went by, it felt like years. I do know that I got about an hour of sleep per night, if I really tried. The bar looked great and I was really getting the hang of being the barkeeper. Mark and I would sometimes drink what we made, but I never got truly drunk.

There were times, when tending the bar that someone would say something that reminded me of home, of my family, of Edward, and I would literally collapse. Mike thought I had some sort of illness, so I told him it was my epilepsy. It wasn't of course, but he didn't know any better. The worst part was when one of the drunks started singing a song that the Cullens had performed. There was one visitor that frightened me half out of my mind, because he was very, different. He had black short hair, a tall muscular physique, pale, cold skin and eyes that were a dark purple colour. Red with blue contacts I had to assume. I knew exactly what he was and I think he knew that I knew.

"Excuse me miss?" he asked.

"Yes?" I replied, looking straight into his beautiful face.

"May I have a margarita?"

"Why?" the question slipped out before I could catch myself. He stared at me suspiciously.

"Because I have a business partner arriving shortly and he will want one."

"Sorry, of course, it'll be right there."

He sat down watching me at the bar. As I poured and mixed I realised I needed to go back into the store room, for sugar. I slipped back there and passed an old dusty bottle. I stopped and looked at it, smiling. I picked up the sugar and the bottle and came back out to the bar. I finished the margarita and then poured the red liquid into a glass. The vile smell hit me and I felt a little faint. I went back to the vampire and gave him the margarita, and the glass.

"For you, on the house." I whispered. He straightened, shocked, but carried the drinks to the table anyway. He watched me for the entire night. I pretended I didn't notice. He left at three thirty like everyone else, but I knew he was out there, waiting. I only had a few hours until the sun came up, so I started cleaning. Not surprisingly, moments after Mike had left I heard his velvety voice behind me.

"Hello again." I turned to see him casually leaning against the bar.

"Do you speak English? My Italian is crap." I asked in reply.

"Of course." Now that he spoke in English I recognized a strong British accent.

"What would you like? I can give you the bottle. It was only rabbit's blood, and I'm sure it's better fresh..." I rambled.

"Why would you serve me such an odd drink?"

"You don't drink anything else." I replied curtly, returning my attention to the floor I was sweeping.

"True, but how would you _know_?" Suddenly he was in the chair beside me, motioning me to join him. I sat warily, unsure of how this conversation would end. I saw three options:

He left without a fuss.

He killed me.

He changed me.

A half of me wanted to be changed, the other half wanted him to leave me to my miserable excuse for an existence.

"I've lived with your kind. Well, a less dangerous type of coven."

"Less dangerous?"

"They drank only from animals, never humans. Their eyes, instead of red, were gold. You could call them the vegetarians of the vampire world."

He looked at me, unsure if I was joking or not. I looked straight back at him, his red eyes raising gooseflesh on my arms. The rest of him hurt to look at. He had a similar physique to Carlisle, similar apparel to Jasper and the gentlemanly mannerisms of Edward. As soon as I thought the names, the hole seared with pain and I fell from the chair. He caught me before I hit the floor, clearly a vampire reaction and stared confusingly at me as I tried to get my breathing under control. My hands were wrapped tightly around my ribs and my teeth were gritted in pain. He waited patiently until the spasm was over, the look on his face wondering idly if he were supposed to get a doctor or just kill me.

When I stood back up, still clutching my ribs, I thanked him. He stared at me as though I were a fascinating specimen in a laboratory.

"What on earth was that?"

"Painful."

"But what was it?"

"It started after I left home."

"Homesickness? Hmm." He sat staring at the table for a while. "Tell me, what do you know of my kind?"

"I know enough to know that there is a very high chance you are a member of the Volturi, us being in Italy and all. I know that right now you are fighting with your most basic instinct to bite into my flesh and drink my blood. I know that in about two hours you are literally trapped in this bar. The sun comes up, shining fully on the front door, which I thought was the only entrance."

"There is a small window in the bathroom that I was able to slide through."

"And Mike thought this place was impenetrable." I muttered, continuing to sweep. He watched me in silence for a few minutes.

"I think I'll come back. You're too interesting for your own good."

"Be my guest, just remember that I do actually have to sleep. We can't all be freaky insomniacs."

He laughed a rich laugh and then disappeared. I collapsed again to the floor, crying for the longest amount of time. I lay there, trying to hold myself together, to convince myself that I had wanted this, that what I had done was for the better. I pulled out my cell phone, switching it on and there was a reply from Esme.

Bella,

Come home!

We all miss you so terribly.

You don't have to try and let us live without you.

It doesn't work.

Edward has barely said a word since you left.

Please come home.

It's not the same without you.

Esme

The message made me feel, if possible, worse. Edward should get over me, I was nothing, I was a simple clumsy human. He deserved better. I realised it would take Esme and Alice longer; they had been with me for most of my life, but they had their soul mates now. They needed the freedom to explore their relationships, not worry about a too clumsy teenager. I wanted so badly to go home, so badly to sit in Edward's arms, see Alice go crazy with shopping, watch Esme control her, again. See Emmett trying not to laugh, Rosalie scowling at me, Carlisle watching us all with incredulous amusement, Jasper mixing up everyone's emotions. I wanted to see Angela again too. She was always patient, extremely kind for a human too. I began wondering if I should just give up, when I heard Mike fumbling with the lock at the door.

I stood, wiping away the tears and starting to sweep again. Mike said his usual good morning and we got to work. After two all-nighters, my muscles were actually beginning to feel weak. I went and got some breakfast and then continued helping to clean the bar. I had a few hours to myself in the afternoon and I used them to shower, change, sleep a little. I got about twenty minutes of sleep before I felt sick again. I couldn't sleep because I began dreaming of home and that hurt. I made my way behind the bar and Eric snuck up behind Mike.

"Happy Birthday!"

Mike jumped out of his skin and then lightly punched Eric in the stomach.

"It's your birthday and you didn't tell me? I feel really guilty now. I should've..." I started.

"No, you really shouldn't. I hate birthdays. The only thing I'm gonna do is play beer pong and maybe poker."

"I can help with that. After work?" The prospect of getting drunk didn't appeal to me, but Mike had done so much for me that I couldn't just let his birthday go by unnoticed.

"Sure, though technically it won't be my birthday by then."

"Don't be pedantic."

Work was interesting that night. There was a fight that started up, but thankfully, and weirdly, my new vampire showed up. He stood between the two assailants.

"You really don't want to fight each other. You both want to go sleep off the beer you've had." The two men stopped trying to get at each other.

"Y'know what? I'm tired." One said and walked away unsteadily.

"I'll get ya tomorrow." Said the other and he sat down in the nearest chair. The vampire came up to the bar and sat casually, ignoring the eyes of every girl in the bar.

"Like that won't draw attention." I muttered sarcastically.

"It's a gift."

"The power of suggestion?" I asked sarcastically.

"Literally." He replied seriously.

I poured him his drink and went about serving the other customers. He watched me curiously, occasionally asking simple questions. My age, my name, where I lived...

"Isabella. Izzy here. Bella at home." As soon as I said home, tears tried to force their way out of my eyes.

"My name is Thomas."

"That doesn't narrow down your age does it?" I whispered, knowing he could hear me.

"Well, there are three hundred and twelve reasons I can't tell you."

"Wow."

We didn't speak for a while, mainly due to the fact that I was arguing, in French, with a man who claimed I'd overcharged him.

"I only need forty nine American dollars."

"I didn't order that much. I only had three drinks."

"No. You had the beer, the vodka, the cocktails and the-"

"Excuse me, sir." Thomas interrupted. The man looked at him. "May I borrow fifty dollars?"

"Sure." The guy leafed through his wallet handing Thomas the fifty.

"Thank you sir. You are truly kind. May I pay for your drinks?"

"Sure."

Thomas handed me the fifty and I handed him back the dollar. He pocketed it.

"That was mighty kind of you sir."

"It was my pleasure, thank you again." Thomas helped him out of the door, then returned to his place.

"Wow. The power of suggestion huh?"

"That and I am incredibly beautiful."

"And modest." I rolled my eyes.

"I am sorry, Isabelle," he said my name in French, "but I must leave. I will not see you for a while, I am traveling."

"Goodbye Thomas. It was nice meeting you." He picked up my hand and kissed it gently, sending shivers down my spine; he was a lot more dangerous than my family, at least to my immediate health. For the rest of the night I managed to keep the peace. When the last person had left, Mike and Eric set up the beer pong. I lost big time, meaning I got seriously drunk. We moved on to poker and somehow, although I could barely count the cards, I kept winning, so Mike and Eric got adequately smashed. When they left, I stumbled my way up to my room, falling back down the stairs twice.

On the third try I got there, I couldn't unlock the door. I then realised that I had the wrong key and carefully made my way back down the stairs. When I got there, Alice was holding out my keys to me. I took them, thanking her and turned around, about to walk back up to my room, when I bumped into a large wall. I fell backwards, only to be caught by the wall.

"Emmett!" He let me go and I slowly made me way back up the stairs, using all four limbs to climb. I got to my room and Alice took the keys from my hand and unlocked the door.

"Thanks." I crawled to my bed and managed to get on it halfway before I passed out completely.

EPOV

In the airport I caught sight of my reflection in the glass. I had never looked so dishevelled before. My hair was messier than usual, my jeans grass stained from the recent hunt. Thankfully I had no blood on me, but my clothes still didn't look as clean as they could. I looked like a zombie. What had one girl done to me? In a matter of weeks my perfect, articulate self had been replaced with this. But that girl was the very essence of perfection, stealing away all the best parts of me.

The plane ride took aggravatingly long. I sat, barely able to stop myself from pacing mercilessly around the plane. Alice sat with her knees tucked under her, staring at Jasper, who was looking at her with the same intense, sad, yet hopeful expression. Esme was quietly murmuring to Carlisle, they were talking about the weather in Italy. Emmett was looking sad, but Rosalie was looking at me.

_Edward Cullen. _

I looked briefly at her.

_I'm talking to you. Thinking to you. Whatever. If you don't stop squeezing the arms of the chair..._

I looked down at my hands to see that I was indeed squeezing the arms of the chair, far too tightly. I unclenched my hands and folded them into my lap instead. A small thump made me look down at my leg. A small boy, a red haired child with a lime green shirt was clinging to my ankle. I tried to gently shake him off and he laughed gently, a very innocent laugh that brought the smallest of smiles to my face.

_He looks sad. _His mind was clear for someone so small. He looked up at me and I saw bright green eyes.

"Mister are you mebbe sad?"

"Mebbe?" I asked.

_Maybe, stupid._ Rosalie shot at me, looking endearingly at the child.

"Yes."

"Why? The plane isn't crashed?"

"No, the plane won't crash. I'm going to see someone."

"Then be happy."

"Not until I see her."

"Silly. I'm happy and I can't see mommy now. But I know I gonna see her." The child reached up to my face, climbing onto my lap and pulled up the corners of my mouth. The look of frustration as he tried made me smile. The child giggled and got off, running back to his father.

"Children make the world so much easier to live in." Alice said almost dreamily. "Bella had a similar encounter with a child on her way to Italy. A little girl named Emma."

I heard Bella's name and my breathing became harsh again. Jasper winced.

_It can't be that bad, what he's feeling can it?_ Emmett.

"Jasper? Can I ask a favour?"

"Okay?"

"Show Emmett exactly how I felt when Rosalie told me ... Bella ... didn't want us near her."

Jasper raised his eyebrows but concentrated anyway, focusing on Emmett. Unfortunately, Carlisle, Esme, Rosalie, Alice and I got some of the pain also, though only a fragment of what Jasper was letting Emmett feel. Thankfully none of the humans were affected; else they would've committed suicide by now. The pilots would've quite literally dropped the plane, nose first, to the ground.

"Stop!" Emmett said, clutching at his chest. Jasper did so and the rest of us eased up too. "I never want to feel that again. Rosalie if you ever leave my sight again I swear I will chain you to me."

"Vivid mental images that I didn't need." Alice interrupted, holding her eyes shut. The rest of them smiled a little, glad of the distraction Alice provided. I looked into her head, only to see the images she had talked about. She cleared her mind quickly.

_Edward. When we get there, it should just be me to go and get her, and maybe Emmett or something. I don't think you're going to like what you see._

"I need to see her Alice."

_But when we finally get there, she's very... intoxicated. She also doesn't look very well at all. She's super skinny, like she hasn't eaten in weeks, she's so pale and tired looking. It's not Bella. One night, and maybe some of the morning. Please?_

"Fine." It hurt me to even think of waiting a few more hours.

When the plane landed we didn't bother with cars. Alice led the way, first to the car dealership, then past it and onto a main road. It was quite late in the night when we were running. So late that it was coming up on sunrise. We all stayed in the alleys in the streets. I caught scent of a vampire, one who was here recently. Probably one of the guards of the Volturi. My mind went searching for his, but I heard nothing. Alice and Emmet went in, Emmett lifting the door off of its hinges and putting it back on after. I closed my eyes to look through his mind.

Bella was walking down the stairs. She wobbled unsteadily, her eyes blurred and unfocused. She did look awfully thin, tired and sick. Alice picked up the keys, handing them to Bella. Bella seemed so intoxicated that she didn't register the fact that Alice was there.

"Thank you." She murmured and turned around to bump into Emmett. She began to fall, but Emmett held her up. She confusedly looked at him for a few moments then recalled his name.

"Emmett!" she said, in greeting. Bella then walked past him and practically crawled up the stairs. Alice hopped over her and took the keys from her hand, unlocking the door. Bella started to get onto the bed, then passed out, her body going limp. Alice picked her up and sat her in her arms, rocking her gently. Emmett stood in the doorway, elated at seeing his sister.

"She's totalled."

"Completely." Alice replied. "She won't wake until noon, I suggest you all make yourselves comfortable."

I passed on the message and we all went in search of a hotel to stay in when the sun came out. I sat on the bed, staring at the window. The curtains were pulled, but I wasn't looking at it, I was looking at Bella, through Alice.

She looked peaceful, but still sick. If I had to guess I'd say she weighed about ninety pounds. Before she had moved she weighed exactly one hundred and twenty three. She was healthy, fit, and soft. Now her shoulders, ribs and collarbone stuck out far too much. Her face looked drawn, her eyes sunken and dark. She looked almost dead. She had no blush to her cheeks and her hair was dull, as if all the life had been drained out of her. Alice sat watching her for hours, so I watched through her.


	10. Chapter 10

Author's note: Thanks to all of you who have read and reviewed

Author's note: Thanks to all of you who have read and reviewed. The author and I appreciate it. I'll update as soon as possible. Thanks again :)

EPOV

When Bella finally woke up, the first thing she said was not the most flattering.

"Shit." She sat up and darted to the toilet, throwing up whatever she had in her stomach. She stayed there for a second, then fell backwards to the floor. She lay there for a moment, her eyes firmly shut and a slight groan escaping her lips.

"Bella?" Emmett asked. Bella winced in pain and then slowly began to get up. Emmett helped her stand and then Bella opened her eyes.

"Ow. Oh my god." She stared around at the room for a second, looking at Alice then Emmett. "Did I die? Oh jeez! I drunk myself to death, what will Esme think of me?" Bella buried her face into Emmett's chest. "What are you doing here? You should've outlived me by a millennia."

_Still as weird as ever_. Emmett's mind sighed.

"Bella..." Alice sounded sad. "You aren't dead. Just hung-over. Extremely hung-over." The news made Bella confused, for a moment, but then she began to cry.

"So you're here? In Italy? You came to see me?" she began smiling and the faintest sparkle entered her eyes.

"No silly. We're here to bring you home. None of us were happy with you gone, not even Rosalie, though if you tell her I said that she will kill me... again." Alice stood up and pulled Bella into a tight hug.

_She's so thin! She doesn't feel well at all!_

"The others are here too, but they're waiting until you want to see them. Do you want to come home Bella?" Alice asked quietly. Bella's face lit up again but then it darkened.

"No, no, I can't. I'm just in the way, I'm always in the way. I'm the stupid, clumsy, weak human..." she collapsed to the floor crying and holding her head in pain.

"Bella. You were never in the way. Ever. You were never a burden to us, only a joy. You are a part of our family and we want you back."

"All of us. Rosie included." Emmett added. His mind was noting the fact that he could see Bella's spinal cord, through her tight t-shirt. Bella stayed on the floor for a while, breathing deeply.

"Okay. Come back later, um six-ish. I'll probably feel better by then."

"Alright Bella. Love you, to pieces, always." Emmett left then. Alice stayed for a moment.

_When was the last time she ate?_

"Bella?" Bella's head tilted up slightly. "We'll be within hearing distance for the rest of the afternoon. If you need us, just call." They both returned to us in the nick of time, the sun appeared over the clouds just as they entered the hotel.

I sat still as they came in, telling the others what had happened. She thought she was a burden to us? She thought that she was in the way. My dead heart shuddered at the notion. The others were having a conversation, but I wasn't listening, with my mind or ears.

"I need to go see her." They all stopped and looked at me.

"Edward..." Carlisle warned.

"Now. Please."

Alice sighed and brought a long-sleeved hoodie out from a bag. It was one of mine, one of the ones the band had constantly been required to wear to stay away from the sun. I slipped it on, making sure that the hood covered my face, and fished out the gloves that were in the pocket. When I was 'protected' I ran at a fast human pace to the bar, knocking at the door. I waited, with my back to the oppressive sun as I heard a small, "go away" being muttered. Bella opened the door.

"Mike, I have your key-" she broke off mid sentence as she looked at me. A hundred different emotions flashed through her eyes before anger won over. "Are you insane? Get in here, quick."

BPOV

I woke up, not opening my eyes, but evaluating my physical state. I felt like I had run a marathon, every muscle in my body ached, and my head was pounding. I opened my eyes and was painfully blinded.

"Shit." My stomach chose that moment to chuck its contents. I barely made it to the toilet before I threw up. I knelt there for a second, trying to control my stomach then fell backwards to the floor. I lay there for a moment, groaning at my own stupidity, I shouldn't have ingested that much alcohol.

"Bella?" A too familiar voice asked. The tone of his voice bounced around in my head, making it pound harder. I slowly began to get up, when I felt a strong pair of arms pull me to my feet. My eyes slowly opened, trying to adjust to the light. I saw nothing but Emmett smiling uncertainly at me. I had to be dead. This hurt way too much to be a dream and there was no way that they would come looking for me.

"Ow. Oh my god." I glanced around the room and saw Alice too. "Did I die? Oh jeez! I drunk myself to death, what will Esme think of me?" I hid my face in Emmett's shirt. "What are you doing here? You should've outlived me by a millennia."

"Bella..." Alice sounded sad. "You aren't dead. Just hung-over. Extremely hung-over." I couldn't believe that they were actually here.

"So you're here? In Italy? You came to see me?" I asked stupidly, hopefully.

"No silly. We're here to bring you home. None of us were happy with you gone, not even Rosalie, though if you tell her I said that she will kill me... again." Alice stood up and pulled me into a tight hug. Her hug hurt almost. It's like she was hugging just a little too hard.

"The others are here too, but they're waiting until you want to see them. Do you want to come home Bella?" As I thought about seeing them again my heart leapt, then sank as I remembered the initial reason for leaving.

"No, no, I can't. I'm just in the way, I'm always in the way. I'm the stupid, clumsy, weak human..." My hangover was getting the better of me. I collapsed to the floor, holding my aching head.

"Bella. You were never in the way. Ever. You were never a burden to us, only a joy. You are a part of our family and we want you back."

"All of us. Rosie included." Emmett added. I couldn't believe it. What had I done to deserve such love? I had to try and think straight, which I couldn't do until I had had a shower at the very least.

"Okay. Come back later, um six-ish. I'll probably feel better by then."

"Alright Bella. Love you, to pieces, always." Emmett left then. Alice stayed for a moment.

"Bella?" I looked up at her. "We'll be within hearing distance for the rest of the afternoon. If you need us, just call."

I slipped into the shower, feeling much better, but still crap. I got dressed and went downstairs, to start working on sweeping when I heard a knock at the door.

"Go away." I murmured, before realising that it was probably Mike, his keys were on the bar. I opened the door.

"Mike, I have your key-" It wasn't Mike. It was Edward, my Edward. I was filled with love and the hole that had been in my chest disappeared, I was then filled with sadness; what if he had found another girl? Then frustration; of course he would find another girl, confusion; why did he look like a freaking junkie? And finally anger. He was standing in direct sunlight. He could get caught for this, instant exposure. "Are you insane? Get in here, quick."

He was inside in a flash, but his eyes never left mine. I shut the door and suddenly couldn't see him; the bar was so dark compared to the sun. After a few minutes of intense blinking, I became irrationally angry.

"Why are you here? What the hell were you doing out in the sun? You shouldn't have come, you don't have to feel obligated-"

"Obligated? I had no idea that love could be construed as simple obligation."

"No. You need to find someone who-" he cut me off again.

"Who is beautiful, funny, charming, who steals my breath away, never does what I expect and is my match in intelligence and wit. I know. I have found a woman like that. She is the most important thing in my life now."

His words cut me. I had been replaced. The hole that had disappeared ripped open with a fury. Tears began threatening to pour down my face, my breathing stopped and I immediately felt cold and dizzy. He closed the distance between us extremely quickly, wrapping his arms around my waist and pressing his forehead to mine.

"Her name, her beautiful name, is Isabella Marie Swan, and I don't believe she realises just how strongly I feel for her." My breathing restarted and my chest began to throb less, the places that Edward touched were tingling with the electricity I remembered. "She makes the universe an interesting place to look at, to live in. I never noticed before, the simple pleasures that I took for granted. Like how the rain feels, how interesting childish things can appear, how difficult it is to try and actually read someone's body language, instead of their thoughts. The only way I can explain it is, I feel I have been locked in a colourless, soundless world, like an actor in a silent movie. Nothing was beyond black and white. Then you came into my life and suddenly, there's sound, there's better music, there's colour. It's as though my world has been completely changed."

He paused for a moment, kissing my forehead. My thoughts were incoherent at best.

"And when you left... You turned the colour off, took the sound away and all of the music. It was worse than my existence had been before. It was like I had been flattened into two dimensions. You took all the best parts of me when you left. You told me that you wanted me to find someone I deserved. Someone who could equal me. That is impossible, I don't deserve you, you have surpassed me in so many ways. I feel like I'm always looking up at you, I feel unworthy of your affection. You are literally an angel and I have no right to try and make you mine. I love you Bella. Only you, and never anyone else."


	11. Chapter 11

Author's note: Thanks to all of you who have read and reviewed

EPOV

I had never really thought about it before, never really said it, to her, to myself, to anyone. I loved her more than I could ever explain, analogies and metaphors put aside. She stood there for a moment, staring at me, before a blush swept onto her cheeks; Bella was back. This was what I remembered about her, what I loved about her. Slowly, fresh tears began to trickle down from her eyes. Laughing, I swept them away with my fingertips, marvelling at the warmth of her touch. Her eyes seemed to light up as she stood there.

"I'm sorry. For leaving, for everything. I love you too Edward, far more than you could even begin to comprehend. But I believe you have our images a little crossed. You are the image of perfection. You are articulate, careful, generous, selfless, so patient..."

"All of these things you have made me. Take my family's word if not my own, I was secluded, isolated by my own choice, I didn't laugh often, I was loaded with sarcasm and got my way simply by manipulation. I was a monster in so many ways. I still am."

"You are not a monster!" she slammed her fist into my chest. I didn't feel harm from it, but got the point. "You have used your 'abilities' to do so much good! You have saved lives, mine included, enriched people's lives, simply by existing. If you weren't what you are, we would never have met. You would've died in nineteen twenty never knowing love, never knowing that we were possible."

I stood there, breathing for a few moments. She was right, in so many ways, and I was right also. We had both been ridiculous. I watched her as her eyes seemed to clear and a genuine smile lit up her face. I leant in, about to kiss her, when a knock sounded at the door.

_Man, my head! If I ever do anything like that again. I can't remember where I put my keys. If Bella isn't done sweeping up, I may just bite her damn head off. Crap. Hangovers make me irritable..._

"Mike!" she whispered. I picked her up, placing her on the table then got to work. I swept and dusted the entire bar, taking about forty five seconds. Another knock, louder this time sounded on the door. Bella looked at me amazed.

"I'll hide in your room. You better get the door." And I vanished into the shadows of the stairwell. Bella hopped down off of the table and got the door.

"Hey Mike."

"Izzy. What took you so long?"

"I was just putting the broom away, could you come in already? My head is killing me." She motioned towards the sunlight and I felt a pang of sympathy for her. Mike complied.

"Good you cleaned up."

"Hardly." She whispered to the ceiling, assuming I was up there. I smiled. I felt so much better already. "Hey Mike? Do you mind if I take a nap for a while? I feel really ill."

"Yeah sure. I'll get you up in time for shift." _Ill? She looks way better than I've ever seen her. Maybe I should get her drunk more often._

"Thanks."

She walked towards me and I swept her into her room, laying her on the bed beside me. She clutched at me weakly.

"When was the last time you ate?"

"Um..." she seemed to think about it. "Not yesterday, the day before, maybe?"

"Isabella!" I looked at her, glared more like. She flinched.

"I wasn't really hungry. I was too... sad, to eat or sleep much." So that was why she looked so bad. Why she looked so sick: malnourishment and sleep deprivation. I hummed her lullaby gently into her ear and almost instantly she fell into a deep slumber, her hands still holding onto my shirt. I flipped out my cell phone and pressed 2. I heard the speed dial, call Carlisle.

"Edward? How is she?"

"She hasn't eaten or slept in ages. She's physically, mentally and emotionally exhausted. She's sleeping right now."

"Alice heard that and she's doing some shopping right now. Clothes, food and simple supplies." In the background I heard Alice sigh happily. _Oh the wonders of eBay and FedEx_.

"We can visit her tonight, while she's working I suppose. It will be dark by then."

"No." Carlisle said. "We're far too close to Italy for my liking. Unless we want Bella to be discovered, and subsequently punished, I suggest minimal contact."

I knew Carlisle was right immediately. The others, except Alice, all left the hotel room that night, crossing the border, twenty miles away, to find a hotel in France. France was infinitely safer than Italy. Alice called me, to go get her bags of shopping and stuff and I complied as night fell, telling Bella that I would return quickly. Bella went downstairs to begin her job and I started to help Alice. When I got to the hotel room her face was blank. So I searched her mind instead.

_In a large stone hall, three men, surrounded by various guards sat. Aro, Marcus and Caius._

"_What did you say Thomas?" Marcus asked in a bored tone._

"_I have found someone who could be of interest. My power doesn't work on her."_

"_Suggestion isn't it?" Aro interrupted._

"_Yes."_

"_Well bring her in, I'd love to meet her." He leapt from his seat, placing a hand on Thomas' neck – absorbing his thoughts. "Interesting. Very interesting. Her name is Beauty itself. Interesting. Fitting."_

The vision broke off.

"What was that?" I asked her. She shrugged her shoulders, worriedly.

"I don't know. Perhaps because the Volturi are so close I'm just getting snippets of their personal lives." She shuddered at the thought. "Oh I hope not. They scare me." She remained deep in thought as we picked up the rest of the bags. Suddenly she dropped them. "Oh god no!"

_A girl who's resistant to a power to do with the mind, who is in Italy, who's name means beauty. Bella!_ As soon as she made the connection, I dropped the bags also. I heard Alice whip out her cell phone. "Carlisle! The Volturi may know about Bella. I don't know. A vampire named Thomas. Hurry. We may already be too late." Too late. The words echoed around my head as I pushed my legs faster. As I neared the bar I began to hear one mind-voice standing out above the others. It was a vampire's. He was already there.

BPOV

Edward left, going to get the shopping that Alice had done. I had to laugh at that. I stood behind the bars taking orders when I felt a cold hand on my shoulder.

"Back already?" I asked him. The answering voice was not what I expected.

"Missed me?" Thomas replied. I spun around to see him leaning casually against the bar. "Would it be alright with you if we took the night to go to my home?" he offered, smiling. I had to think of a way out of this. Edward would be back soon. He could help, but could he do it without getting hurt? How good was Thomas at fighting? If he was one of the Volturi, he would probably be extremely good.

"Actually, I have some bad news. I'm leaving soon. My family found me. They're nearby here. Edward and Alice should be stopping by soon." The information put a dangerous edge into Thomas' voice.

"Then we better get a move on. I'd hate for them to miss you while you were gone."

We were back to me leaving again.

"Now ask your boss for the night off. Tell him you feel sick or something. You're pale enough to pull that off." His hand slipped out a knife which he twirled in his fingers, like a warning. The knife wasn't what I was afraid of at that point.

"Mike?" he looked over at me. "I feel sick again. I'm going to take the night off okay? Don't bother with sick pay or anything, okay I just need some fresh air." He nodded, looking slightly concerned. Thomas was waiting at the door. He slipped out into the night and for the briefest second I contemplated staying. Then I walked outside, praying that Edward would find me in time. My prayers were both answered and laughed at. Thomas wrapped a hand around my ribs, throwing my legs into his other arm.

"Put her down!" an angry snarl came from near us.

"Edward!" I whispered.

Thomas remained calm. "Edward, isn't it? I don't think I will. You won't chance attacking me while she's in my grasp anyway. Humans are so delightfully frail aren't they?"

"He might not, but I would. Do behave please, there are ladies present." I heard the high soprano voice.

"Alice, please, I don't want you guys hurt."

"Have some faith Bella. You seem to forget that Edward grew up around Jasper, and I grew up with Esme." It was true. There wasn't a better pair of fighters, plus Edward and Alice had some serious advantages. Thomas seemed to see this, as almost instantly he pulled me closer to him. At first I didn't notice the pain, but then I could start to feel my ribs groaning in protest. I cried out and Edward's face reflected true horror.

"Alright. Alice, will anything happen if she goes to the Volturi?" Alice didn't answer aloud and in the next instant, Edward had moved out of his crouch, his arms beside him in defeat. Alice had hers crossed in annoyance. Tears were streaming down my face where Thomas hadn't released his hold.

"Aren't you forgetting something?" Alice nodded her head at me. Thomas' grip relaxed and I felt more pain as my ribs tried to readjust themselves. And suddenly we were running. I felt the cold air whipping at my face and wished I was in Edward's arms rather than Thomas'. In only ten minutes we had arrived. Thomas slipped down a narrow alleyway and then dropped down a large hole. I bit my tongue to keep from screaming. Moments later he stopped. I heard two gentle thumps and knew that both Edward and Alice were following closely. I could feel blood in my mouth and hastily swallowed, knowing that that was the last thing anyone needed right now. When I was finally put down, Edward had me in his arms instantly. He was hugging me comfortingly.

"Don't worry Edward. It's all my fault. I told Thomas I knew what he was. At the time I didn't care what happened to me. I never mentioned the family though, not directly."

"I don't blame you Bella."

"Well you should." I was beginning to cry now.

"Why?"

"Because it's my fault. We'll be lucky if we make it out of here alive."

"Hush Bella. I will get you away safely. I have to." Edward was clearly trying to find a way out of the situation. I looked around and realised that we were in a large hall. There were vampires strewn casually around the room, some dressed as humans, some were dressed in clothing from different eras and some were dressed in robes. Most were looking at us with extreme curiosity, some with hunger, but with Alice in front of me and Edward pressed up against my back, I really wasn't afraid of being drunk from here.

"Hello." A crisp voice sounded from a doorway to my left. A man walked out looking at me with extreme curiosity.

"Nice to meet you Bella, however I don't know your friends here."

"Edward and Alice." Thomas' voice rang. "They are her 'family' apparently."

"Part of it." Alice corrected gently. "There are five others."

"Seven vampires and a human. Well I'll be dashed!"

"He speaks what he thinks. It's refreshing." Edward sighed.

"A mind reader – like myself! Well I'll be dashed!"

"Stop being dashed and start the interrogation Aro." Another two men walked in, one pausing to look at Edward and I, before he casually placed his hand on Aro's and walked away.

"Well I'll be da... Never mind." Aro looked at me. "How in the world?" Edward chuckled.

"Aro can read minds, like me, but he is infinitely more powerful. He can read every thought your mind has ever had, with just one touch. Marcus there, can sense relationships. He is surprised by the intensity of ours." Edward explained to me and Alice.

"What convenience! To be able to hear from a distance!"

"But I can only hear what the person is thinking at the time."

"Still... May I?" he held out his hand to Edward. Edward squeezed my shoulder reassuringly and sauntered forward, letting his hand touch Aro's. Aro bent over slightly, absorbing the information.

"Incredible!" he said finally. "My old friend Carlisle. I am oddly pleased to hear that he has found such success in his peculiar habits. And you, I did not think I would find a match for Carlisle's level of control, but you! To injure yourself against such a siren call, not once, but repeatedly. Even now, her blood sings to you, beckoning to be drunk. If I had not seen firsthand the thirst, I would not have believed such an attraction was possible." Edward moved carefully back behind me. He wrapped his arms protectively around my waist and I leaned as far into him as I could.

EPOV

When I got there he had her.

"Put her down!" I snarled at him, crouching, ready for attack. Alice appeared behind me moments later, not ready to attack, but to talk. I heard my love whisper my name, clearly frightened. I could smell her fear from here.

_This must be part of that family. I am not ready for an attack, but I will not defy Aro._

"Edward, isn't it? I don't think I will. You won't chance attacking me while she's in my grasp anyway. Humans are so delightfully frail aren't they?"

"He might not, but I would. Do behave please, there are ladies present." Alice interjected.

"Alice, please, I don't want you guys hurt." Bella asked, still scared, but not so violently as before.

"Have some faith Bella. You seem to forget that Edward grew up around Jasper, and I grew up with Esme."

_How strong are they? They must have some serious advantages. However, I have a bargaining chip. Just a little squeeze. _I heard the air being forced slowly out of her lungs and it was a few seconds before Bella realised that she was in pain. Upon her cry I felt pain and fury ripple through me. How badly was she hurt?

_It's alright. She'll just have a few bruises. Nothing broken._

"Alright. Alice, will anything happen if she goes to the Volturi?"

_At this point, we have to take the chance. I don't see anyone attacking her, they're all just curious for now. _I straightened, trying to let Thomas know that I wasn't going to be any trouble. Alice crossed her arms. Tears were staining Bella's face where Thomas hadn't let go of her.

"Aren't you forgetting something?" _He'll stop squeezing now. _

Thomas began running and both Alice and I were right behind him. In only ten minutes we had arrived. Thomas slipped down a narrow alleyway and then dropped down a large hole. We followed his actions and a faint smell of Bella's blood reached my nose. I looked at Alice.

_She bit her tongue. What you're smelling is just remnants of the blood coming out with her breath. I can't even smell it. You must be very attuned to her._

We ran forward for a long while, miles were covered, until we came to the large hall I had seen in Alice's vision. Most of the vampires there hadn't noticed our presence yet. Thomas put her down and I swept her into a hug. He backed away slightly.

"Don't worry Edward. It's all my fault. I told Thomas I knew what he was. At the time I didn't care what happened to me. I never mentioned the family though, not directly."

"I don't blame you Bella."

"Well you should." I could smell her tears again.

"Why?"

"Because it's my fault. We'll be lucky if we make it out of here alive."

"Hush Bella. I will get you away safely. I have to."

By that time, most of the vampires in the room were extremely aware of her presence. A few were thirsty, but saw my protective stance.

_A human? Here? What on earth?_

_Thomas has arrived, jolly good. I must meet this curious girl._

"Hello." _Ahh! She is an image of beauty. But the others? Golden eyes. Well, perhaps they have chosen the path similar to Carlisle. I wonder how he has been? It is so nice to meet her. I wonder who her friends are?_

"Nice to meet you Bella, however I don't know your friends here."

"Edward and Alice." Thomas' voice rang. "They are her 'family' apparently." I could hear the quotation marks in his statement. It made me smile.

"Part of it." Alice corrected gently. "There are five others."

"Seven vampires and a human. Well I'll be dashed!" His thoughts mirrored his words.

"He speaks what he thinks. It's refreshing." It was.

"A mind reader – like myself! Well I'll be dashed!"

"Stop being dashed and start the interrogation Aro." _Sometimes he can be ridiculous. I apologize in advance Aro. _Another two men walked in, one thinking the apology, the other looking curiously at Bella.

_So strong! I've never felt a love so strong. Not even between Aro and his mate. With a human, though? How is this possible. _He stopped and touched Aro. I saw a flash of an outstanding amount of information running through his head and suddenly understood.

"Well I'll be da... Never mind." Aro looked at Bella. "How in the world?" _A human? And a vampire? Well I'd pay to see how interesting the control issues are. _I chuckled.

"Aro can read minds, like me, but he is infinitely more powerful. He can read every thought your mind has ever had, with just one touch. Marcus there, can sense relationships. He is surprised by the intensity of ours." The words were for Alice's benefit, but I knew Bella would want to know also.

"What convenience! To be able to hear from a distance!"

"But I can only hear what the person is thinking at the time."

"Still... May I?" he held out his hand to me. I sighed quietly, squeezing Bella's shoulder before I walked carefully forward, touching my hand to his. Aro bent over slightly, absorbing the information. It was an interesting exchange. I could see everything he was seeing and he could see I could see everything he was seeing. It was as bad as looking into a mirror, looking back at yourself looking into a mirror.

"Incredible!" he said finally. "My old friend Carlisle. I am oddly pleased to hear that he has found such success in his peculiar habits. And you, I did not think I would find a match for Carlisle's level of control, but you! To injure yourself against such a siren call, not once, but repeatedly. Even now, her blood sings to you, beckoning to be drunk. If I had not seen firsthand the thirst, I would not have believed such an attraction was possible." I smiled wryly and moved back behind Bella, pulling her close. She pressed herself against me and my body began to tingle with the warmth of her touch.

"It isn't without effort."

"A high price."

"Opportunity cost."

"And her blocking your thoughts. Unusual." _May I try?_

"Ask her." I reminded him pointedly.

"Of course, how rude of me. Bella, I am very interested in your ability to block, both Thomas' power and Edward's. May I try?" He walked forward, with his hands held up. Bella looked up at me.

_Ha. Let her. He can't. None of them can._ Alice chimed. Her appearance was one of mild disinterest, but her thoughts were happy.

"Go on. It's alright." She grabbed my hand and walked forward a little. Aro touched her hand, pulling away after only seconds of blankness. "I'll be dashed." He muttered, barely quiet enough for me to hear.

"Jane dear? Perhaps you could try." I knew Jane's power, from Carlisle's description. Alec and her were the most feared vampires in the world. A small child stepped forward, smiling beautifully, she began to turn her gaze on Bella as I spun her out of the way.

I felt the pain almost instantly. My jaw clenched, I would not scream aloud. I didn't want Bella to know the pain I was in. Every pain I had felt came back to hurt me. Broken bones from my human years, the three days worth of fire from the transformation, the gaping hole that was in my chest when Bella left, even the small stabs of pain as I saw Bella in pain, the unyielding thirst I had felt, especially when around her. Everything. I fell to the floor, curling up, trying my hardest not to scream.

"Edward!" I heard Bella call. Alice had her, was restraining her. The pain ended as swiftly as it began and I looked at Jane in horror as she turned her gaze towards Bella. I looked over at Bella, and if my heart were beating it would've stopped. But she was still looking at me, fear all over her face. I sighed, thanking whatever gods were watching. I stood quickly as I heard Jane stop trying.

_It's not working. Why isn't it working?_

"Alright Jane dear. Bella confuses us all. Can you imagine the possibilities when she is one of us?"

_Now._ I heard Caius think. Suddenly Alice was caught in Jane's gaze. I was swept up in the same instant, but only because my attention was focused on Bella as she was thrown to the side by one of the guards who had grabbed Alice, as she fell to the floor in pain. Bella landed painfully, that much I could see, and I heard the snap as her wrist broke.

_Ow. That hurt all three of us._ Marcus flinched. Bella had felt the physical pain. I had felt the emotional pain and Marcus had felt the emotional pain, coming from me. I tried to shake loose of my captors, to get to her, to help her, but there were two of them, and much like Emmett, they were stronger than me. I would end up ripping myself apart if I tried to get to her.

_I'll help out. They'll stop fidgeting then._ I heard a voice as I recognized Jane's twin, Alec begin to let his power wash over me and Alice. I was suddenly in darkness. I couldn't feel, I couldn't see, I couldn't hear, through my power or physically. My thoughts were only on Bella though, as fear tumbled down on me. What if she got hurt?


	12. Chapter 12

EPOV

BPOV

I saw Edward and Alice begin to writhe in pain and suddenly I was flying. I landed on my wrist against the stone cold floor. I heard it break. I turned to look at them, only to see both Alice and Edward stand there motionless. There was no expression on either of their faces and all of the guards backed up. I could feel the pain in my wrist as I looked around. One of the vampires was staring intently at the two of them and I could only assume that he was the one doing this to them.

"Stop! Please!" I stood and ran over to Edward, trying to get him to snap out of it. "Edward, wake up! Please!"

"He won't wake. He isn't technically asleep." Aro's amused voice came from behind me. I turned, still clutching my wrist, to look at him.

"Please don't harm them. I'm the problem here." I pleaded. Aro moved closer to me, his eyes figuring.

"You know too much about our kind, to be left alive."

"Then change her." A familiar and very welcome voice sounded from behind me. I turned to see Carlisle and Jasper at the doorway to the hall. Jasper, although looking extremely tough winked at me. I relaxed a little. Carlisle could help somehow.

"Carlisle!" Aro called. Even Marcus and Caius nodded in greeting, despite their stony, bored expressions.

"Aro. It has been far too long my friend." Carlisle shook his hand in greeting and I realised, yet again that Aro was absorbing all of Carlisle's thoughts.

"Really? I am glad you have found a mate after all of this time."

"Do we not have more important matters to attend to?" Marcus interrupted. Aro looked mildly disappointed. He turned to me again. I was still clutching Edward's motionless body.

"Where were we?"

"I believe I just told you to change her." Carlisle reminded him.

"You cannot be serious." Marcus snapped.

"Think of the possibilities." Aro chimed appearing beside me. He ran his hand along my cheekbone and I couldn't help but shiver at his unnatural touch. It brought a smile to his face. His eyes seemed to darken as he stared at me. Oddly enough I wasn't afraid. Esme and Alice had told me that I could choose. Now that I had Edward, I had yet another reason to want to become one of the damned.

"What possibilities?"

"She is a mental shield. It is as if her mind has never had a single thought, though clearly that is impossible. Even Jane and Alec have no effect. What if her mental shield becomes a physical shield also? A sort of telekinetic power? Or if her mental shield becomes so strong she can shield others from harmful or probing talents? Well I'll be dashed, she's beautiful for a human, so she could possibly become a succubus. She could develop an entirely random gift also..." Aro was staring at me with such intensity I wasn't breathing.

"Alec, would you please let my son and daughter go. They have a right to be in this conversation." Aro nodded and suddenly Edward drew a deep breath.

He wrapped his arms around me. His face was searching, until his eyes landed on my wrist. He wrapped his cool fingers around the now swelling break and it felt a little better.

"Carlisle?" Edward asked. A moment went by as Carlisle explained everything, mentally. In that moment Aro moved to sit in his chair and Jasper moved to hug Alice. Edward growled, clearly trying to think a way out of the situation.

"Edward, look at me." He complied, although his expression was still calculating. "Edward, change me." He stopped thinking for a moment, staring angrily at me.

"I will not condemn you to an eternity of darkness."

"It is not only your decision. Esme and Alice were going to change me anyway, if I wished it. I have always wished it. Alice will tell you, my future is set. It is only my age that varies from vision to vision, at times I appear mid twenties, at others I am as you see me now." I sounded oddly logical and calm, considering that I was discussing my own death.

"If your future is set it doesn't have to be now." He replied harshly. Caius then spoke for the first time.

"But we wish it now. Before any trouble occurs."

Edward looked like he was in more pain than I had ever seen him, even when Jane did her worst. I hugged him tightly, my wrist still in his. He looked over at Alice who was clearly telling him something. He then looked at Carlisle. He shook his head once more.

"No."

"Then we will have to kill her."

"I'd like to see you try." Edward threatened. I spoke up then.

"As much as I appreciate it Edward, it's alright. I've wanted this for a while now. Just promise me something?" He was still calculating chances, fight strategies. "Edward!" He looked down at me once more.

"Promise you'll still love me when I wake up?" I asked. Edward smiled and kissed me.

"Forever and always."

Alice's POV

When I woke up I was aware of two things. I hadn't moved and Bella had. I immediately focused on her, before I smelt him. Jasper. My Jasper and Carlisle were behind us. I spared a fleeting glance at him and felt a wave of love and reassurance.

_Bella's wrist was broken, she winced._

'Edward, she's injured.' I thought to him. He immediately searched, until he wrapped his cold fingers around her wrist.

"Carlisle?" Edward asked. Jasper came and hugged me. I could feel his love, but also extreme caution. He was dangerous, I was uncatchable and Edward was pretty infallible also, however we were vastly outnumbered.

_Edward lunged for Aro, managing to rip off an arm, before Alec swiftly grabbed Bella and pulled her apart in a mess of blood and gore..._

_Edward went for Alec instead, but Jane intercepted and Edward collapsed on the floor..._

Thousands of scenarios went through Edward's head. He thought up a situation or attack and then watched as my visions supplied the outcomes. None worked, we were vastly outnumbered. Even when all of us fought, each attacking random targets, one vampire would always manage to get to Bella and her life would end.

"Edward, look at me." Bella interrupted his planning for a moment, before he continued to think. "Edward, change me."

_Bella opened her eyes, they were blood red. She was wearing the clothes she was now. Edward stood over her as Aro smiled, pleased._

'Sorry Edward. Her decision not mine.' I thought to him.

"I will not condemn you to an eternity of darkness."

"It is not only your decision. Esme and Alice were going to change me anyway, if I wished it. I have always wished it. Alice will tell you, my future is set. It is only my age that varies from vision to vision, at times I appear mid twenties, at others I am as you see me now."

'She is correct. Every vision of her future has been-'

"If your future is set it doesn't have to be now." He cut me off quickly, but was talking to Bella.

"But we wish it now. Before any trouble occurs."

Caius began imagining ripping Edward apart and then killing Bella. My visions became gruesome and graphic.

'Edward! I see no way out of this. There are so many variables we cannot control. Change her or they will kill you and her.' Edward looked at me, pleadingly. I glared back. There was no way.

He then looked at Carlisle. He shook his head once more.

"No."

"Then we will have to kill her."

_Aro moved forward with his guards closely flanking him. They fought, but eventually Bella's neck was snapped. Edward was being restrained by four vampires the size of Emmett, and barely. HE howled in pain as she crumpled to the floor. Aro sighed._

"_Such a waste."_

"I'd like to see you try." Edward threatened, seeing the vision and rethinking his attack and defence strategy. Bella spoke again. She was extremely calm still, with no aid from Jasper. I saw the words come from her mouth and I closed my eyes; she was right. What difference would it make if she were changed here? With their relationship, she would have to be changed anyway.

"As much as I appreciate it Edward, it's alright. I've wanted this for a while now. Just promise me something?" He wasn't listening. Varied and complicated fight plans were running through his head, blocking most of my vision when it came to anything else.

"Edward! Promise you'll still love me when I wake up?"

'Smile. She needs your reassurance right now Edward.' I told him swiftly. With effort he complied, halting the parade of strategies.

"Forever and always."

_The sun was setting over what looked like snow covered mountains. Bella sat with her arms wrapped around Edward, a wedding ring clearly visible on her finger. She was a vampire and they were both happy._

"_Edward?"_

"_Yes, my love?"_

"_Do you ever wish for just one thing that you could change?"_

"_Like what?"_

"_Just something you wish would've happened differently."_

"_I wish we had brought the Vanquish, not the Volvo."_

_Bella laughed, then she calmed again._

"_I wish you had done it."_

"_Brought the Vanquish?" Edward asked confusedly._

"_No, I wish you had changed me. You had your claim on me, and I know you would've been strong enough. Besides, after thirsting for my blood for so long, it was only right that you should get a taste. It is the only thing in the world I would have differently."_

"_I wish that too." Edward sighed as he kissed Bella._

My vision ended. I knew Edward had seen it. He was now contemplating changing Bella himself. At this instant I had two visions. In one, he killed her, unable to control himself, her blood too tempting for him. In another, he stopped and she began changing.

'This one is up to you Edward. I can't help you. Whoever does end up changing her will not lose control, obviously or my vision wouldn't have happened. But she wishes it were you. So do you. If you truly love her, you will stop. You will manage. You two are bonded so closely, despite the obstacles. Even Jasper says that other loves pale in comparison. I will not condemn you for whatever choice you make.'

He turned to me and nodded again, his eyes dark and grave.

"I'll do it." He whispered, barely audible to even vampire ears. The two visions were still completely even. Edward and Bella had a fifty-fifty chance of making it out of here alive, or undead as the case may be


	13. Chapter 13

EPOV

BPOV

I heard Edward apologize and I knew that he had given up trying to miraculously save us. He lowered his head, trailing his lips down my neck. I wasn't afraid, but rather, anticipating the end.

"I love you." I whispered to him. I felt the sharp pain as he bit into my neck, and a cooling sensation as he withdrew my blood. That was when I felt whatever control he had, snap. He pulled me closer to him, his teeth digging further into my flesh. I still was unafraid. I would rather die like this than any other way. Suddenly he pulled away and a new sensation began shooting through my neck. Someone had lit the wound on fire, it was burning, searing heat. Suddenly it was also at my wrists and I realised that the fire had to be the venom. Nothing could be this painful.

"Bella, you'll be alright, I promise. You'll be fine. I love you."

I drifted in and out of consciousness, making sure not to scream. I couldn't let Edward hear me scream. It hurt so badly, so much, I wanted to die. I couldn't tell them that I wanted to die, though; my mouth wouldn't open, for fear of screaming. I heard the faintest whispers of conversation, mostly Rosalie, complaining about the hideous room. What room? Where were we? Alice's voice sounded, saying that I would wake at noon. How far away was noon? Years? Minutes?

I also heard the murmuring of an angel, a silken voice that pulled me out of the darkness, praying, in English, then French, then a wide variety of languages. I couldn't understand the words, but I understood the meaning. The angel sounded hurt, sad. That shouldn't be allowed. The angel should be happy. Finally I could hear my heartbeat, pounding in my ears. As the pain lessened, my breathing slowed and my heart slowed also. I heard my heart stop. And I continued hearing. I was waiting to drift permanently into the abyss, towards heaven or hell, but instead, the calming voice of the angel brought me forward, into a new world, a new life.

I didn't move at first. I could hear the wind whistling through tunnels that sounded like they stretched for miles. I could hear footsteps of people, far above us, and the small shakes in the plumbing surrounding us. I could hear seven sets of lungs around me. I could also hear people talking, distant voices that echoed around the hallways. To my amusement I could hear the fast heartbeats of rats, and the very intimate moments of two rats a floor below me. I could feel someone gently squeezing my hand and I began to sit up. The hand let go of mine and I heard a shuffling.

I opened my eyes to see Edward standing a few feet away, looking sad. Carlisle stood behind him, his arms held out in warning, or was it peace? Jasper and Emmett were crouched ever so slightly, protecting Esme, Alice and Rosalie, who were behind them. Jasper had multiple scars, on his face, his neck, his exposed arms, I wondered how I had ever not noticed them. He must've been extremely dangerous, to have survived so many attacks. I crouched, in defence and Jasper half smiled, while increasing his crouch. I stood straighter, brushing silk pillows aside and looked at Edward.

He was still smiling.

"Hello Bella. How are you feeling?" his voice met my ears and I felt happy. I wasn't even slightly afraid anymore. Edward was here, my protector, he could help.

"Um." I replied. My voice sounded unfamiliar, alien almost. He chuckled. I walked towards him, hugging him. He was tense at first, but instantly relaxed, squeezing me properly. I squeezed back.

"Gently love, ouch." Edward said. I instantly pulled back.

"Sorry."

Edward pulled me forward, into our first proper kiss, no interruptions this time. My arms slid around his neck, my hands twisted into his hair, his hands wrapped around my waist and pulled me closer to him. We continued kissing, desire rippling through both of us, until Jasper interrupted uncomfortably.

"Lay off it a little would ya?" he asked. We broke apart, only to see him holding a pillow in front of his jeans, trying in vain to hide his physical reaction to our physical reaction. Emmett was laughing silently, but hard. He was clutching his side as he fell into the pillow pile, literally rolling on the floor laughing. I pulled away from Edward and looked at Alice.

"Hug?" I asked. She squeaked and threw her arms around my neck, squeezing properly. Esme walked forward, also, hugging both of us.

"Hey mom." I whispered. "How've you been?" Esme simply laughed in response. It took more time to get Emmett to stop laughing than it did for Jasper to drop the pillow.

"Lauren, Jessica..." Jasper was chanting off names of the bimbos in my school. It obviously helped, because moments later he hit Emmett with a huge wave of guilt.

"Can we go home now?" I asked quietly.

"Aro wants to see how your powers evolve, so unfortunately we're stuck here for at least a few days."

"Well I can't hear anything you guys are thinking, so you can check that one off the list."

"Nice to know I'm unique."

"Hmm." I said and wrapped my arms around him once more.

"Thank you Carlisle for helping with Aro. And thank you everyone for staying here, especially you Rose, I know you don't like me." She stopped scowling and looked at the floor.

"I don't not like you, but I don't like you either."

"That's quite a distinction." I muttered. It was then that I heard footsteps coming down the hallway.

"Someone is coming." Edward and I both said at the same point. He looked at me, confused

"I can hear them. Oh, are two rats mating a floor below us or is it my imagination?" I asked, wanting clarification for the odd noises I was hearing. Emmett, still on the floor, pressed his ear to the floor.

"Wow. That sounds fun." He chuckled, earning himself a kick from Rosalie. It was Thomas, who knocked on the door.

"My word Bella, you look outstanding."

My response was a fast and angry snarl. He seemed pleased by the reaction though.

"Aro simply wishes to know if you would like dinner delivered, or if you would prefer to go and hunt an animal of some sort."

"I would've thought the answer to that would be evident, considering her family's diet choice." Edward snapped, icily.

"Well he asks anyway."

"I'm following Edward." I whispered. Thomas sighed casually.

"You know where to go." He mumbled and walked off. The family looked at me.

"Are you thirsty?" Carlisle asked. I thought about it and I was, sort of, but it wasn't bad unless I thought about it. I nodded. Alice had made me promise that if I chose to become a vampire, we would share my first hunt together, as sisters.

"Come on then Alice." Alice shook her head at me.

"I'm not thirsty."

"But you made me promise-"

"Well I'll go with you later."

"But-"

"Bella. _Edward_ is going to take you." Alice smiled.

"If that's alright?" he asked. I laughed and grabbed his hand. Without a goodbye to anyone we were running down the hallway. He led me up a steep flight of stairs and suddenly we were in a forest. He instructed me not to breathe, as there were humans close, and we ran. I wasn't as fast as Edward, but I did have a newborn's strength, so I was able to keep up easily. We ran for a very long time, dodging buildings and people, until Edward eventually slowed us down. He vaulted over a high chain link fence and I followed him.

"We are in a restricted reservation. You can hunt anywhere in here, without the risk of human interference. Come on, love, let's find dinner shall we?"

Two weeks later:

"I never thought I would be so glad to go back home! I am actually tired of Italy."

"I think you're just tired of being stuck underground all day." Edward chuckled. We were on the plane home, and I was bored.

"I still think it would've been cooler to swim to the US." I moaned. Carlisle laughed.

"You and Emmett try that someday, see who gets lost first."

"Ten thousand on Emmett." Rose whispered.

"Ten thou on Bella." Edward countered.

It was going to be a long plane ride. Aro had only let us go because he was convinced that my power was still restricted to my body. I hadn't even told Edward the discovery I had made. I could push my shield away from me, circling other people too. I could even push it away from myself, but that took a lot of concentration. I was going to let Edward figure it out when we got back home. I was planning on circling everyone but myself in my shield, and seeing how Edward reacted when suddenly his family disappeared and I appeared, mentally that is.

The drive home took too long as well. When I was finally there I shot upstairs and collapsed on my bed, burying my head under my pillows. Alice had been buzzing about getting me an entirely new wardrobe, so her and Rose had disappeared. Esme and Carlisle were hunting and Emmett and Jasper were wrestling. Edward came and found me, lying on my bed.

"Hello."

"Edward."

"Can I join you?"

"Sure." I said, but I didn't move. I was desperately hoping for a certain reaction, and he, unknowingly complied. He crawled onto the bed, holding himself over me as he nuzzled my neck. He gently lay, so that he was squishing me and put his lips to my ear.

"Can I ask you something?"

"Sure." I said, although my response was muffled by the pillow.

"You love me right?" I flipped over underneath him, glaring at him.

"No Edward, I absolutely despise you."

"Mentally noted." He looked me straight in the eyes, his smile boyish and mischievous.

"And I love you right?" he asked. I thought about that one hard.

"I suppose."

"Good." He smiled and leaned in to kiss me. It was a very enthusiastic kiss, his tongue sliding into my mouth and mine responding in turn, when suddenly I felt a weight on my finger. I broke off and looked at my ring finger. On it was a beautiful, platinum and diamond ring.

"Will you marry me?" he whispered. I kissed him so enthusiastically that we rolled off of the bed. We lay on the floor kissing for a long time, until he finally broke off.

"Was that a yes?"

"A thousand times yes."

"I love you forever."

"Forever and always."


	14. Author's Note

Hello Devoted Fans,

I just wanted to let you know that this story, along with grammar changes to make it way easier to read, is complete and posted on my account. I want to thank gwnmonkey for posting this when I was unable to have my own account. She is a life saver and I love her for it!

My penname is Britcat -Twilight Lover

I also have some other stories I've worked hard on, including the Shadow and the Womanizer, and a few new ones!

Thank you for reading!

Danielle


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